The Effects of Narrative and Movie Therapy on the Theory of Mind and Social Functioning of Patients with Schizophrenia

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of narrative therapy (NT) in which the patients tell their own life story in a group environment, and the movie therapy (MT), which is an interaction-based, emotion-themed, culturally compatible video screening activity, on chronic schizophrenia patients' theory of mind abilities, psychopathology, and social functioning. Method: Thirty patients with schizophrenia were included in this study. At the beginning of the study, 2 patients dropped out as they started to work in a job. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: one group received NT, and the other had MT. Dokuz Eylul Theory of Mind Index (DEToMI), Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), Social Functioning Assessment Scale (SPAS), the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) were applied to the patients before and after the study. Pre-and post-test results within the group were compared via Wilcoxon test. Mann-Whitney U and mixed-design ANOVA were used for group comparisons regarding treatment efficiency. Results: In the NT group, PANSS negative and general psychopathology, DEToMI, SFAS, and MoCA scores significantly increased. In the MT group, PANSS negative, DEToMI, SFAS, MoCA, and RMET scores significantly enhanced. Regarding the comparisons for before and after the treatment, it was found that mean RMET scores and DEToMI faux pas sub-scale scores were higher in the MT group comparing to the NT group. Conclusion: This study suggests that NT and MT could be beneficial on different domains of the theory of mind, and may lead to a decrease in psychopathology, and increase in neurocognition and social functioning. MT might be a more effective treatment in the field of perceptual theory of mind.