Objective To investigate the effects of combined intervention of art therapy and social skills training on self-efficacy, stigma, and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods A total of 110 patients with schizophrenia were recruited, and randomly assigned to control group (n=55) and observation group (n=55). The control group received social skills training, while the observation group received a combined intervention of art therapy and social skills training. Both groups underwent 3-month intervention. The self-efficacy General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), stigma levels Chinese Version of the Stigma Scale for Mental Illness (SSMI-C), medication adherence Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), clinical psychiatric symptoms Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and social functioning Social Functioning Scale (SSPI) were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention.

Results After the intervention, the GSES scores, MARS scores and total SSPI scores as well as their item scores were significantly higher in both groups compared to pre-intervention, with the observation group showing significantly higher scores than the control group (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the total SSMI-C score and their item scores, as well as the total PANSS score and their item scores were significantly lower in both groups compared to pre-intervention, with the observation group showing significantly lower scores than the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The combined intervention of art therapy and social skills training enhances self-efficacy and medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia, effectively reduces stigma, and improves clinical symptoms and social functioning.