Correlation between Positive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts among Patients with Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia's positive symptoms, including delusions and hallucinations, can cause distress, loss of control, depressive feelings, and increased suicide risk. Purpose: Examin the correlation between positive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among patients with schizophrenia. Design: A descriptive correlational designe was utilized. Setting: The study was done in psychiatric department at Menoufia University Hospital and Meet-khalf Hospital, Shebin Elkom City, Menoufia governorate which is affiliated to General Secretariat of Mental Health in Egypt. Sample: A purposive sample of 90 patients with schizophrenia who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. Instruments(1) Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) in addition to socio- demographic and clinical questionnaire (2) Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). Results: The study revealed that 65.60% showing mild positive symptoms and 34.50% showing moderate positive symptoms with a significant positive correlation between positive symptoms in schizophrenic patients and their suicidal thoughts,. Conclusion: There was positive correlation between positive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among patients with schizophrenia. Recommendation: comprehensive intervention should be established programs to reduce positive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among patients with schizophrenia.