Effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions for inmates with dual diagnosis in prison psychiatry - a randomized controlled trial

Male prisoners with schizophrenia and co-occurring substance abuse disorders were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions. Participants in the psychoeducational intervention received information about their disorders in addition to the existing medical care and usual therapeutic interventions whereas the participants of the control group were provided with medical care and usual therapeutic interventions only. At baseline and immediately post-treatment, knowledge about the disorders, psychiatric symptoms, adherence and rehospitalization were assessed. There was no statistically significant increase in the knowledge about schizophrenia between the groups when baseline and posttreatment were compared. Differences in rehospitalization and adherence at discharge were not statistically significant. More research is needed to evaluate complex interventions in prison inmates with dual diagnosis.