原著

Original Article

岩﨑, 弥生

Hiroko, KONDO

イワサキ, ヤヨイ

Yayoi, IWASAKI

group approach

support for patients' discharge

The purpose of this study is to clarify how chronic psychiatric inpatients can bring their life into shape after leaving hospital by participating in a support group designed to assist patients that could be discharged. Ten patients participated in the group and consented to this study. The average age of patients was 43.5 and the average hospitalization was 1 year and 2 months. All the patients in this study had no place that would accept them after leaving hospital. This support group program ran for 14 months, and totaled 56 sessions. The contents of the conversation in the sessions were analyzed by KJ method. The result is as follows: In the first period of the program, the patients had an unrealistic expectation that they would get a job and live in a conventional home. This expectation didn't take into account their handicap. However, in the last period of the program, the patients' expectation shifted to leaving the hospital and moving to the special accommodation set up. In this process, the patients faced various kinds of realities; the difficulties of employment and moving into a house for disabled people, low living expenses, prejudice of society against mental disabled people, lifelong medication, and the poor prognosis of mental disorders. These factors attribute to a continued uneasiness they feelin their lives after being discharged. They experienced frustration and disappointment and overcome them at the end. In the group, the patients could support each other, sharing expectation, insecurity, sympathy, and resistance because they were in the same situations.