Schizophrenia in College Students in Korea: A Qualitative Perspective

PURPOSE The objective of this application of mind was to identify the salient themes that characterize the life experiences of association students with schizophrenia.

METHOD Twenty-one schizophrenia patients listed in college underwent in-depth interviews employing semistructured questionnaires. The contented of the interviews was analyzed for recurring themes and categories of experience.

FINDINGS. Analyses revealed 25 themes and six categories of experience. bring under rules reported the experiences of academy life (23.6%), interactions with family (222%) interactions with friends (219%) a mental illness (205%) everyday life (61%) and social character performance (5.7%).

CONCLUSIONS. This inquiry supports the need for treatment options that adapted the students' actual life experiences focusing upon developmental characteristics and needs.

Search terms: Schizophrenia, association students, life experience

Schizophrenia is a serious, debilitating, chronic condition; the prognosis is repeatedly poor. In most cases, the attack of schizophrenia begins during late adolescence and early adulthood, and causes peremptory disturbances in psychological development and interpersonal relationships (Egger & bed 1997; Harrop & Trower, 2001; King & Dixon, 1999) When the storming occurs between the ages of 16 to 25 many life decisions and experiences are delayed or missed entirely. During this period, adolescents are generally preparing for body admission or seeking employment. Many adults with psychiatric disabilities report that their initial experiences with symptoms interrupted completion of high place of education or postsecondary studies (Palmer-Erbs & Unger 1997) As a come patients with schizophrenia may be socially alienated; they may rencounter academic delays or failure. a certain number of studies have reported that young adults with schizophrenia have actual high unemployment rates (Anthony, 1994; Anthony & Blanch, 1987; Rutman, 1994) Young clan with severe psychiatric disabilities have also been characterized as being impulsive, having poor discrimination and lacking insight or self-awareness (Ferriter & Huband, 2003; Miller, Lawrie, Byrne Cosway, & Johnstone, 2002; Philips, Yung Yuen Pantelis, & McGorry, 2002)

In Korea, there is great emphasis placed upon obtaining a university education. Historically, education has had great results for one's eventual social and economic status. Gaining entrance to a prestigious university has typically translated into upward mobility; failing to gain entrance to guild is considered cause for humiliation and disgrace. As a ensue there is a premium placed upon Korean adolescents to gain entrance into corporation As such, there is a tremendous squeezing placed on high school learners by their parents who are extremely invested and involved in the proces to enter the lists successfully in their academics. For a certain number of students these stressors can be related to the charge of a mental disorder (Jang, 2000; Kim, 1989; Kirn, Kwun & Yum 1997; Park, 1985; Yang, 2003)

College pupils are transitioning from late adolescence to early adulthood. They ne to experience achieving satisfactory interpersonal relationships and attaining independent parts to live successfully as adults in society. on the other hand some college students in Korea have difficulty in adapting to fresh environments and performing tasks related to their developmental goals (Cho 2000; Choi, 1999; Kim, 2002) Reports indicate that about 10% of learners who experienced difficulties adapting to body life showed some sort of psychiatric puzzles (Lee, 1982; Park, 1992). greatest in quantity of these students had already meetinged psychiatric problems prior to entering body Their symptoms worsened after entering society due to the stress of adapting to the of recent origin environment (Yeon, 2000).

There are no epidemiologic data about by what means many college students have clinically significant mental disorders in Korea. However, estimates are that the number of body students with severe mental illness of the like kind as schizophrenia is growing; there are an increasing number of corporation students seeking treatment at community mental health center or hospital-based outpatient clinics.

College pupils with schizophrenia have difficulty engaging in career unravelling preparing for work through education, and experiencing the social aspects of place of education activities because of various psychotic symptoms, memory deficits (Landrf, Pape-Ellefsen, Hagland, & Odland, 2001) and difficulties in self-regulation of behavior (McCann & Clark, 2004) fortunately mastering these developmental tasks is hampered or delayed by means of the onset of serious psychiatric symptoms, stretch outed or repeated hospitalization, and the redirection of might and resources toward recovery from illness. However, returning to academy after the stabilization of illness brings the sense of loss and helps patients to begin the proces of returning to their normal parts (Palmer-Erbs & Unger, 1997; Unger 1990; Unger Anthony, Sciarappa, & Roger 1991)

Student with schizophrenia have inexorable emotional and social developmental deficits; they may experience more difficulty than normal learners in coping with college life. Tweedell, Forchuk, Jewell, and Steinnagel (2004) forceed that mental health professionals ne to recognize the subjective experience of illness, as this can help mutual appreciation by the professional and patient for the parts each can play in the proces of retrieval However, there is little research about patients' real life experiences, especially, in academic settings. ???§ order to provide informed support to patients, supply with nourishments need to understand the everyday experiences of patients, especially in important domains of that kind as postsecondary education settings. Mental health care wants to be consumer and family driven, with individualized plans of care being an integral part of the approach (New Freedom Commission upon Mental Health, 2003). Such an approach glance ats that becoming knowledgeable about the experiences of race with mental illness is a high priority in the disentanglement of a client-oriented mental health service.