ACT-Based Psychoeducation for Caregivers of Patients With Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It has devastating consequences that impact not only the health of affected individuals but also their social, occupational, and economic functioning. The effects of schizophrenia extend beyond patients and significantly influence family members who assume caregiving responsibilities. The behavioral and emotional difficulties experienced by individuals with schizophrenia may expose caregivers to various physical and psychological challenges.

Family caregivers frequently experience emotions such as anger, helplessness, anxiety, and uncertainty, and they may have difficulty managing these emotional reactions. With the increasing adoption of community-based mental health care services, families have assumed greater responsibility for the care of individuals with schizophrenia. As a result, caregivers often face substantial caregiving demands, contributing to increased family burden and emotional distress.

Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to maintain or change behavior in accordance with personal values and long-term goals despite the presence of distressing thoughts, emotions, or experiences. Caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia are frequently exposed to stressful situations and negative emotional experiences that may adversely affect their psychological flexibility.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral intervention that aims to enhance psychological flexibility through acceptance, mindfulness, values clarification, and committed action. Previous studies have suggested that ACT-based interventions may help family members develop more adaptive beliefs and attitudes, reduce psychological distress, and improve coping with caregiving challenges. Through the acceptance process, caregivers may learn to engage more effectively with difficult thoughts and emotions associated with long-term caregiving responsibilities.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the effects of an ACT-based psychoeducation program on expressed emotion, perceived family burden, and psychological flexibility among caregivers of patients with schizophrenia attending a Community Mental Health Center. Eligible caregivers will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving an eight-session ACT-based psychoeducation program or a control group receiving routine care. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (pre-test), immediately after the intervention (post-test), at 1-month follow-up, and at 3-month follow-up.

Inclusion criteria

• Living with an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia who has been followed and actively receiving services from a Community Mental Health Center for at least one year.
• Being the primary caregiver responsible for the care of the individual diagnosed with schizophrenia.
• Having been involved in the care and treatment of the individual diagnosed with schizophrenia for at least 12 months prior to the study.
• Being between 18 and 65 years of age.
• Being literate.
• Being able to speak and understand Turkish.
• Willing to participate in the study and providing informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Having a medically diagnosed psychiatric disorder.
• Having a diagnosis of an organic mental disorder or intellectual disability.
• Having a physical impairment that may interfere with participation in the study or data collection process (e.g., hearing or speech impairment).