Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery Among Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia at Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Ogun State

Psychosocial rehabilitation is a critical component of comprehensive schizophrenia management, aimed at enhancing daily living skills, social functioning, and community reintegration. This study evaluates the effectiveness of structured psychosocial rehabilitation programs on functional recovery among patients with chronic schizophrenia at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A pre-post quasi-experimental design will recruit 80 inpatients with a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia who are enrolled in the hospital's occupational therapy and vocational rehabilitation programs. The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale and the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) will assess functional recovery at baseline and after six months of rehabilitation. Clinical variables including antipsychotic medication type, duration of illness, and frequency of relapse will be documented. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests will assess changes in functioning scores. Evidence from Aro Psychiatric Hospital's historical rehabilitation programs shows variable outcomes, with peer support and structured skills training yielding the most benefit. Findings will support program review and resource allocation for psychosocial rehabilitation within the Aro Hospital system. Keywords: psychosocial rehabilitation, schizophrenia, functional recovery, Aro Hospital, Ogun State