Effect of family sense of coherence on internalized stigma and health-related quality of life among individuals with schizophrenia.

Health-related quality of life is an increasingly critical outcome of mental healthcare, yet its disease-independent attributes, particularly family-focused resilient indicators, for individuals with schizophrenia have not been explicitly examined. The aim of this study was to explore the degree of health-related quality of life and to examine the mediating effect of family sense of coherence on internalized stigma and health-related quality of life in individuals with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional and correlational study design was used. A total of 111 individuals with schizophrenia were enrolled from the in-patient psychiatric rehabilitation services of two psychiatric hospitals in Taiwan. Face-to-face structured interviews were applied to collect information. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. The results indicated that affected individuals experienced impaired health-related quality of life. Family sense of coherence partially mediated the relationship between internalized stigma and health-related quality of life. This study indicates that knowledge about the role of family sense of coherence in mental health rehabilitation may assist mental healthcare professionals to provide therapeutic interventions to address internalized stigma, thereby promoting health-related quality of life in individuals living with schizophrenia.
(© 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.)