RESEARCH

Value of edible horticultural therapy for schizophrenic

Edible horticultural therapy, involving activities like planting and tasting edible plants, improved social functioning, life satisfaction, and reduced clinical symptoms in long-term hospitalized female patients with schizophrenia.

Program Types: Therapeutic

Population Groups: Mental Health Challenges/Trauma

Setting or Context: Assisted Living/Long-Term Care Homes, Hospitals/Clinics

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Increased Social Engagement & Skills

Allied Profession Intersections: Counselling

Type of Activity: Sensory Stimulation, Outdoor Gardening, Edible Plant Gardening, Meal/Diet-Based Activities

Evidence Type: Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Metrics for Physical Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Program Effectiveness

Access: Free

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Summary

This study investigated the impact of edible horticultural therapy (EHT) on long-term hospitalized female patients with schizophrenia. Sixty patients were randomly divided into an EHT group and a control group. The EHT group received a six-session program involving activities like planting lettuce, tasting hawthorn, and planting mint, in addition to drug treatment, while the control group only received drug treatment. Researchers assessed clinical symptoms, social functioning, and life satisfaction using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Chinese version Scale of Social Functioning for Psychotic Inpatients (SSFPI), and the Life Satisfaction Index A (LSIA), respectively, before and after the six-week intervention.

The results showed that after six weeks, the EHT group had significantly improved social functioning (higher SSFPI scores) and life satisfaction (higher LSIA scores) compared to the control group. The EHT group also showed a significant reduction in clinical symptoms (lower BPRS scores) compared to their baseline and the control group. The study concluded that EHT may be valuable for improving clinical symptoms and aiding in the recovery of social function in female patients with schizophrenia.