Mirta Vranko,1 Dolores Novak, 1 Irena Velimirović,2 Tihana Jendričko1 ERFCON 2017 9th International Conference of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb 17 – 19 May 2017, Zagreb PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT OF PATIENTS INVOLVED IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC TREATMENT Mirta Vranko,1 Dolores Novak, 1 Irena Velimirović,2 Tihana Jendričko1 1University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, 2Center for rehabilitation Zagreb INTRODUCTION Department for Psychotherapy celebrated this year first anniversary of its activity. The Department is designed in a way that hospitalized patients through group therapy participate in all the proposed activities, and are also involved in the group analysis, psychodrama, reality psychotherapy, gestalt psychotherapy, social skills training, logotherapy, art therapy, occupational therapy, sociotherapy, medical gymnastics and medical relaxation. SCALE The study used Multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS, Zimet, G., et al. 1988). It is short self-reported scale designed to measure perceptions of support from three sources: family, friends and other important people. The scale consists of 12 particles, with four statements for each subscale. RESULTS Study measured the level of perceived social support from family, friends and significant others. On Multidimensional scale of perceived social support participants achieved high scores of central values in total perceived support (M=5.34) and friendly support (M=5.3). The highest result of perceived social support is at level significant others (M=5.72). We consider that the lowest results achieved by participants on a scale perceived support from family (M=5) is interesting data whose value we can catagorized as a moderate level of support. Worrisome data is that the support negatively correlated with age, ie. the participants who are older age estimated lower perceived support than those who are younger age (-.279*, Pearson’s correlation coefficient). There are no differences nor significant correlations in perceived social support considering gender or forms of treatment. SOCIAL SUPPORT Paper is theoretically grounded in the model of social support. Social support served as a “protective” factor to people’s vulnerability on the effects of stress on health. House, Landis and Umberson (1988) citied Barnes (1954) who was the first to describe patterns of social relationships that were not explained by families or work groups. Social support is concept that describes the structure, processes and functions of social relationships.  Mental Health Perceived Social Support Family Friends Significant others RESEARCH The goal of the research is to gain insight in the perceived level of social support for people in hospital conditions due to the diagnostic criteria and forms of treatment. Participants are people who are being treated in the hospital treatment of the Department for Psychotherapy and in daily hospital, in the period from the beginning of February to the end of April 2017. The study sample of 51 participants who are in some form of treatment in the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče. The sample consisted of 21,4% men and 70,6% women. The average age of participants in the study was 42,45 years. Forms of treatment in which the participants are involved is out-hospital care (51%) and in-hospital care (49%). The most common diagnosis is depressive disorder (47,1%), followed by the personality disorder (17,6%), anxiety-depressive disorder (13,7%), psychosis (11,8%), trauma and stress-related disorders (5,9%), bipolar-affective disorder (2%) and the organic affective disorder (2%). CONCLUSION Perceived social support is, considering literature, often related to the reported severity of psychological and physical symptoms. It is also significant factor in mental health treatment. From results of study, we suggest more family-related interventiones in mental health treatment. Therefore, we recommend particular emphasis for elderly patients. REFERENCES House, JS., Landis, KR., Umberson, D. (1988) Social relationships and Health. New York: Science, 241, 540-545 Zimet, G.D., Dahlem, N.W., Zimet, S.G. & Farley, G.K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52, 30-41. Zimet, G.D., Powell, S.S., Farley, G.K., Werkman, S. & Berkoff, K.A. (1990). Psychometric characteristics of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55, 610-17. Canty-Mitchell, J. & Zimet, G.D. (2000). Psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in urban adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 391-400. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mirta Vranko mirta.vranko@bolnica-vrapce.hr Dolores Novak dolores.novak64@gmail.com Irena Velimirović irenevelimirovic@gmail.com Tihana Jendričko tihana.jendricko@bolnica-vrapce.hr