The Effects of Problem Solving Education on Depression Level and Problem Solving Skills on Dialysis Patients

Abstract

objective: This study was performed to explore the effects of problem solving education on depression level and problem solving skills on experimental and control groups. Material and Methods: The sample of this pre test-post test study consisted of 78 cases among 210 patients who were undergoing treatment in a dialysis center in Istanbul. The sample consisted of 30 patients as an experimental group and 30 patients as a control group with a total of 60 patients (confidence interval 0.95, power analysis 0.90). The data were collected by interview, a follow-up form, Beck depression inventory (BDI) and problem solving scale. The experimental group received 8 sessions of "Program for Improving the Problem solving skills, which was developed by Liverpool University Psychiatry Department. Results: However, the control group did not receive any education. At 3 months and 6 months after the education program, (BDI) mean score in the study group was significantly lower and problem-solving skills were significantly higher than in the control group. Conclusion: This study deter-mined that patients that participated in the program for improving problem solving skills had better problem solving skills, which resulted in less depressive symptoms.