The Effects of Group Mental Strengthening on Self-Esteem to Reduce Depression in Depressed Patients in Thong Saen Khan District, Uttaradit Province

Abstract

              This research aims to study the effects of group mental strength building on self-esteem to reduce depression in depressed patients. The sample consisted of 40 depressed patients who came for services at the Depression Clinic of Thong Saen Khan Hospital, Uttaradit Province. They were divided into an experimental group and a control group, 20 people each. The experimental group received a 6-week group mental strength-building program to enhance self-esteem and reduce depression in depressed patients, once a week for 45-60 minutes each session. The control group received standard care. The research instruments included data collection tools such as personal information forms, depression assessment forms, mental strength assessment forms, and self-esteem measurement forms. The experimental tool was the group mental strength building program for improving self-esteem and reducing depression in depressed patients, which had a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data analysis used descriptive statistics including percentages, means, and standard deviations, and inferential statistics including paired t-test and Independent t-test.

                 The research found that after receiving the group mental strength building program, the experimental group showed higher self-esteem and mental strength to reduce depression compared to before the program, and their depression levels significantly decreased at the 0.05 level. The experimental group had higher average scores of mental strength and self-esteem than the control group, and lower average depression scores than the control group, with a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level.