The Effect of Multi-Family Psychoeducational Group Therapy on Social Functioning in Individuals with Schizophrenia: Impacts on Interpersonal Conflict and Social Isolation

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is associated with persistent deficits in social functioning that often continue despite standard pharmacotherapy. Objectives: This study evaluated the efficacy of multi-family psychoeducational group therapy (MFPGT) in reducing interpersonal conflict and social isolation among individuals with schizophrenia. Methods: This 2025 quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a 3-month follow-up. The sample comprised 16 individuals with schizophrenia who had recently been discharged in Ahvaz. After eligibility screening, participants were purposively selected and nonrandomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 8) or a control group (n = 8). Because the study was classified as an educational intervention, clinical trial registration was not required. The intervention group attended 24 weekly MFPGT sessions, whereas the control group received routine care. The Persian versions of the Social Isolation Scale (SIS) and the Interpersonal Relationship Inventory (IRI) were administered. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: Compared with routine care, MFPGT significantly reduced interpersonal conflict (P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.47) and social isolation (P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.50). These improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that MFPGT may be a promising adjunctive intervention for reducing interpersonal conflict and social isolation in individuals with schizophrenia. However, the small sample size warrants further research in larger cohorts to confirm these findings and their generalizability.