02788nas a2200469   4500000000100000008004100001260004900042653001000091653001300101653002100114653001100135653001000146653002800156653002400184653001200208653000900220653001600229653002900245653003100274653001200305653002300317653002500340653002600365653002100391653001700412653002000429653001700449653001800466653002000484653001600504100001600520700001500536700001500551700001400566245014000580856005100720300001000771490000700781050001900788520149700807022001402304       2012                            d  c2012 MarbLEPRA Health in ActionaColchester10aAdult10aExercise10aHealth Promotion10aHumans10aIndia10aInterpersonal Relations10aInterviews as Topic10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aNational Health Programs10aPatient Education as Topic10aPosture10aProgram evaluation10aQualitative Research10aRural Health Services10aRural Population10aSelf Concept10aSocial Behavior10aSocial Class10aSocial stigma10aVerbal Behavior10aYoung Adult1 aAugustine V1 aLongmore M1 aEbenezer M1 aRichard J00aEffectiveness of social skills training for reduction of self-perceived stigma in leprosy patients in rural India--a preliminary study.  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/83/1/08-0092  a80-920 v83  aAUGUSTINE 20123 a<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>To assess the effectiveness of social skills training in leprosy patients to raise self-esteem and reduce self-perceived stigma.</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>Five leprosy patients were given 10 day-long group-sessions of social skills training over 3 weeks. Training involved: identification of the emotions and concerns of patients when interacting socially; analysis of positive and negative social interactions and non-verbal and verbal skills training. Role-plays, videos and live models were used. Self-esteem and a reduction in self-perceived stigma were assessed qualitatively before and after training using semi-structured interviews. Assessment of change was scored under the indicators: self-perception, family, wider community and job. Patients were assessed for displaying new ways of interacting with people and changes in expectations for the future.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Qualitative analysis of the interviews before and after training suggested that social skills training could raise the self-esteem of leprosy patients and combat self-perceived stigma. Increase in self-esteem, as evident through the verbal interactions with the interviewers and behavioural changes in the community, were noted in the majority of patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>Social skills training along with counseling may be able to increase the self-esteem of leprosy patients, and so be a useful part of leprosy rehabilitation schemes to try and combat the stigma of leprosy.</p>  a0305-7518