THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING AND MENTAL HEALTH

EFFECTS OF USING SOCIAL CAPITAL MODEL ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG THE ELDERLY LIVING ALONE

Kanok-on Chaowiang — 2025-09-28

Objective: To develop and examine the effects of a social capital model on depression and quality of life among elderly people living alone.

Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. The participants were elderly individuals living alone in Sing Buri Province. The research sites were selected through multi-stage random sampling at both district and sub-district levels, resulting in 2 districts and 2 sub-districts per district. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit 31 participants based on predefined criteria. Data collection tools included a personal information questionnaire, a depression assessment scale, and a quality of life assessment scale, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.70 and 0.92, respectively. The intervention involved a social capital model, conducted over 12 weeks with weekly 3 hours sessions. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage, were used to analyze participants' demographic data, and paired t-tests were employed to compare pre and post intervention mean scores for depression and quality of life.

Results: 1) The mean depression score of participants after the social capital intervention (mean = 6.77, S.D. = 4.44) was significantly lower than before the intervention (mean = 13.94, S.D. = 3.89) (t = 8.05, p < .05). 2) The mean of quality of life score after the intervention (mean = 104.12, S.D. = 6.81) was significantly higher than before the intervention (mean = 96.27, S.D. = 13.47) (t = 3.37, p < .05).

Conclusion: The social capital model effectively reduced depression and improved quality of life among elderly people living alone. Therefore, social capital should be promoted for elderly individuals living alone in the community.

FACTORS PREDICTING THE KRATOM USE BEHAVIOR AMONG TEENAGERS IN THE DISTRICT OF MUEANG, NAKHON RATCHASIMA PROVINCE

Tayawee Juntarawiwat — 2025-09-28

Objective: To study the factors that influence Teenagers' Kratom use behavior in the district of Mueang, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

Methods: The study participants were 136 Teenagers with Kratom use behavior in the district of Mueang, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, by purposive sampling. The research instrument consisted of three questionnaires; 1) demographic questionnaires 2) measures of knowledge, attitudes, motivation, media exposure and 3) measures of the Kratom use behavior. The data were analyzed by the Descriptive statistics, Pearson's product - moment correlation, and Multiple linear Regressions.

Results: The results showed that Teenagers' Kratom use behavior in the district of Mueang, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The average score of knowledge was in the medium level (mean = 9.85, S.D. = 1.92), a medium level of attitudes (mean = 3.42, S.D. = 0.46), a high level of motivation (mean = 3.53, S.D. = 0.75), a high level of media exposure (mean = 3.60, S.D. = 0.70) and a medium level of Kratom use behavior (mean = 2.96, S.D. = 0.97. The attitudes, motivation, media exposure, and Kratom use behavior were significantly positively related (r = .570, .699, .519, p < .01 respectively). The knowledge, attitudes, motivation, and media exposure could jointly predict the Kratom use behavior among Teenagers accounted for 52.90 % of the variance with a statistical significance at the .01 level (R2 = .529, p < .01). The most influential variable was motivation (Beta = .532, p < .01), followed by attitudes (Beta = .202, p < .01).

Conclusion: Motivational factors and attitudinal factors influence kratom use behavior among adolescents. If adolescents reduce their motivation and adjust their attitudes towards kratom use, it can lead to a reduction in kratom use behavior. This can lead to planning for the prevention of kratom use behavior among adolescents in the future.

PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF LONELINESS AMONG LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) POPULATION IN THAILAND

Priyoth Kittiteerasack — 2025-10-04

Objective: To examine loneliness levels and its predictors among Thai LGBT populations.

Methods: This cross-sectional research study was conducted in collaboration with the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand. Data collection was completed using online and in-person surveys. Convenience and snowball samplings were applied for study recruitment. This study selected, translated, and applied standardized measures related to the study framework, guided by the Minority Stress Model. These measures include measures of sociodemographic factors, health risk behaviors, minority-specific stressors, and loneliness inventory. T-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression were used for data analysis.

Results: There were 410 subjects with an average age of 29.5 years (SD = 7.4, range 18–53). The majority of participants reported being male (90.5%), homosexual (79.3%), and cisgender (76.6%). Almost half of LGBT participants (42.2%) (mean = 1.93, SD = .56) reported moderate to high levels of loneliness. The outcomes of bivariate analyses on loneliness were mixed. Significant correlations of loneliness included the experience of discrimination (ß = .03 p < .01), victimization (ß = .14, p < .05), concealment (ß = -.06, p < .001), and internalized homophobia (ß = .06, p < .05). In multivariate logistic regression, the combined influences of the minority-specific stress variables explained of the variance in loneliness scores (F[12.081] = 20.48, p < .001).

Conclusion: The prevalence of loneliness was common among Thai LGBT individuals. Influencing factors associated with loneliness were related to minority-specific stressors. Study findings have implications for psychiatric nursing practice and the development of intervention research.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED-NURSING PROGRAM ON RELAPSE OF SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS WITH HIGH RISK OF VIOLENCE

Sirapussorn Limpitikiat — 2025-10-04

Objective: To develop an integrated nursing program for relapse prevention in schizophrenia with serious mental illness with high risk of violence, and to compare the differences in relapse rates between schizophrenia with serious mental illness with high risk of violence who received the integrated nursing program and those who received treatment as usual after the completion of the trial and discharge at months 1 and 3.

Methods: This is a research and development study consisting of 7 steps. The sample group includes 24 patients with schizophrenia who are at high risk of violent behavior, divided into an experimental group of 12 and a control group of 12. The assessment is conducted before the experiment, after the experiment, and at follow-up periods of 1 and 3 months. The instruments used in the study include: 1) A combined nursing program for relapse prevention in patients with schizophrenia who are at high risk of violent behavior. The consistency index or the degree of alignment between each activity and the underlying concept is 0.90, 2) A general information recording form, and 3) A psychiatric symptom assessment form. Data analysis is performed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Fisher's exact test, with statistical significance set at the 0.05 level.

Results: The developed program consists of case management combined with psychosocial therapy, including 4 sessions of relationship therapy, 2 sessions of psychoeducation, and 2 sessions of family psychoeducation, conducted as group activities over a total duration of 3 weeks. The experimental results showed that, after a 1-month follow-up, the experimental group had a significantly lower rate of relapse compared to the control group (p-value = 0.027). However, after a 3-month follow-up, there was no statistically significant difference in relapse rates between the experimental and control groups.

Conclusion: The integrated nursing program can prevent relapse of patients with schizophrenia who are at high risk of violence.

THE EFFECT OF CARING WITH “7- COLOR PING-PONG PROGRAM” ON DEPRESSION OF NURSING STUDENTS

Sukjai Charoensuk — 2025-10-04

Objective: To study the effect of caring with “7- color Ping-pong Program” on depression of nursing students.

Methods: This research is quasi-experimental research (two groups pretest- posttest design). The sample was 40 voluntary nursing students who participated in the study. They were randomly selected into the experimental and control group for 20 each. The experimental group participated in the program for 6 weeks, while the control group received care according to the college's mental health problems guidelines. The instruments used consisted of a Personal information questionnaire, 11Q depression questionnaire and a “7- Color Ping-pong Program”. The instruments have been validated by 3 experts. The 11Q depression questionnaire has been evaluated for reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and it was equal to .84. Data were collected at before and after an experiment from November 2023 to January 2024 and analyzed using descriptive statistics: mean, standard deviation and t-test.

Results: After the experiment, the experimental group had an average depression score of 8.24 (S.D.= 4.82), while the control group had an average depression score of 15.10 (S.D.= 7.81). The average depression score of an experimental group between pre- experimental and post-experimental was significantly different. (t= 4.95, p < .01). The average depression score of the experimental group was significantly less than the score of the control group. (t= -3.34, p < .01).

Conclusion: The caring with “7- Color Ping-pong Program” was effective to reduce depressive symptoms of nursing students by early screening and provide appropriate intervention based on the severity of depression. This innovative program would be useful not only for nursing students, but also other teenagers.

SELECTED FACTORS RELATED TO QUALITY OF LIFE OF CAREGIVERS OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS IN COMMUNITY

Nardnapa Wongsin — 2025-10-04

Objective: To examine the quality of life among caregivers of psychiatric patients and identify factors associated with their quality of life in the community.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 70 community-based caregivers of psychiatric patients diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria. Data were collected using a three-part questionnaire: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) stress assessment, and 3) quality of life measurement. Content validity index was 0.97, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.83. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, Chi-square test, and Phi and Cramer's V for relationship testing.

Results: The quality of life of caregivers of psychiatric patients was found to be at a moderate level (M = 88.76, SD = 12.61). Variables related to the quality of life of caregivers of psychiatric patients include: Income (r = .448**), Stress (r = -.267*), and type of psychiatric disorders (Phi and Cramer's V = .84) were significantly related to the quality of life at the .05 level.

Conclusion: This study provides valuable information for planning and developing effective approaches to promote quality of life among caregivers of psychiatric patients in the community. The focus should be on economic support, stress management, disease-specific education, and social support network development, which will help improve the quality of life of psychiatric patient caregivers in the community and contribute to high-quality and sustainable patient care.