A six-month prospective case-controlled study of the effects of the clubhouse rehabilitation model on Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the 'clubhouse' model of rehabilitation on various psychosocial issues for Chinese patients with schizophrenia living in the community.

Methods: A longitudinal, case-controlled and naturalistic design was used. A total of 92 participants were recruited via criteria-guided systematic sampling for a study lasting 6 months. Forty-six participants attending a local clubhouse programme were matched for sex and age with a control group of patients recruited from a regional outpatient clinic who were not attending a clubhouse programme. Case note reviews, standardised assessments of psychotic symptoms, depressive symptoms, quality of life, self-esteem, and locus of control were performed at baseline, 3 and 6 months.

Results: Clubhouse participants showed significant improvements in their positive and negative scales, general psychopathology, and total scores after attending the clubhouse for 6 months. The clubhouse participants' employment rate also improved.

Conclusion: The clubhouse model of rehabilitation may have beneficial effects on various psychiatric symptoms in Chinese patients with schizophrenia living in Hong Kong.