Submitted for Fulfillment of Requirements for Master's Degree in Community Health Nursing

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder significantly impacting patients' cognition, emotions, and social functioning, while also burdening family caregivers. In Saudi Arabia, where caregiving relies heavily on family, caregivers experience psychological distress, stigma, and inadequate training for managing the illness. Culturally sensitive psychoeducation is essential to enhance caregiver well- being and improve patient outcomes. Aim: This study aimed to design a psycho- education program for caregivers of schizophrenic patients at home. Method: The Delphi technique was employed for the study, utilizing judgmental sampling to recruit 10 health educators and 20 experts, while 16 caregivers were enrolled conveniently. The researcher developed four data collection tools. The first tool collected end beneficiaries' socio-demographics and explored their views and expectations. The second tool assessed users' socio-demographic and professional characteristics and explored their views and expectations. The third identifies expert panelists' demographic and professional characteristics and their appraisal of the program. The fourth tool assessed participants' feedback. Results: Most caregivers were aged 30–40 years, married, and mothers of patients. The majority expressed needs for comprehensive illness knowledge, relapse prevention strategies, stress and anger management, and communication skills. Experts reached 95–100% consensus on the cultural appropriateness, clarity, and structure of the program. Caregivers and educators reported high satisfaction with the program’s clarity, multimedia integration, and cultural sensitivity. Psychometric evaluation demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α > .97; ICC > .95). Conclusion and Recommendations: The designed psychoeducational program is feasible, culturally appropriate, and effective in addressing caregiver needs. In light of this, it is recommended to implement a structured psychoeducation program for caregivers of schizophrenia patients utilizing multimedia and accessible strategies. This program should be integrated into treatment plans and made available in psychiatric hospitals and outpatient clinics.