Psychosocial Rehabilitation Programme Evaluation for Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Anambra State, South East Nigeria

Psychosocial rehabilitation programmes aim to facilitate the community reintegration and functional recovery of persons with severe mental illness, and their systematic evaluation is critical for optimising resource use and improving outcomes in Nigerian psychiatric settings. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a psychosocial rehabilitation programme at the Anambra State Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Oguta Road, Onitsha, South East Nigeria. A longitudinal pre-test and post-test evaluation design is applied to 70 patients with severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder) enrolled in the six-month rehabilitation programme. The Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, the Quality of Life Scale-Brief, and the Camberwell Assessment of Need are administered at programme entry and exit. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon tests are computed in SPSS depending on variable distribution. Qualitative interviews with 15 programme graduates and 10 family members examine functional reintegration experiences. Available rehabilitation psychology literature from South East Nigeria identifies vocational skills training and family psychoeducation components as the rehabilitation programme elements most predictive of community reintegration success. Anthony's Psychiatric Rehabilitation Model and the Recovery Model of mental health care provide the theoretical framework. Findings will support the Anambra State Ministry of Health in strengthening psychosocial rehabilitation service quality. Keywords: psychosocial rehabilitation, severe mental illness, Anambra State, neuropsychiatric hospital, programme evaluation.