MEDISAINS - VOL. 21 NO. 1 (2023) 13-17 https://doi.org/10.30595/medisains.v21i1.16982 ©(2023) by the Medisains Journal. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. Original Article Effect of psycho-religious group therapy on hallucination in schizophrenia patient Yanuar Fahrizal 1  , Reny Nur Saputri 1 1 School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia ARTICLE INFORMATION ABSTRACT Received: February 23, 2023 Revised: March 09, 2023 Accepted: April 01, 2023 Background: Psycho-religious therapy can be used to treat schizophrenia pa- tients. Group therapy is also effective at reducing the signs and symptoms of hallucinations. Combining these two methods for the intervention of schizo- phrenic patients who experience hallucinations still needs scientific evidence. Objective: This study aims to determine the influence of dhikr psycho-religious group therapy on changes in signs of hallucination symptoms in patients with a psychotic disorder. Methods: This is a pre-experiment study with a pre-post-test design. The sam- ple number was 33 participants in schizophrenia patients with hallucinations. Sampling techniques use purposive sampling that meets inclusion criteria. The research instrument uses a hallucination signs and symptoms evaluation ques- tionnaire. Dhikr psycho-religious group therapy is carried out in 4 times meetings with two stages—data analysis using frequency distribution and statistically paired t-test test. Results: The hallucination symptom score before the intervention was 22.36; after the intervention, it decreased to 11.03. The statistical analysis showed sig- nificant differences in hallucination symptoms before and after the intervention of psycho-religious group therapy (p<0.05). Psycho-religious group therapy pro- vides a medium effect in reducing hallucination symptoms (Cohen's d: 3.09). Conclusion: Psycho-religious group therapy can significantly reduce hallucina- tion symptoms. KEYWORDS Schizophrenia; Hallucinations; Psychotherapy CORRESPONDENCE Phone: +62817269551 E-mail: yanuarfahrizal@umy.ac.id INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder in the form of disor- ders with biopsychosocial dimensions accompanied by hallucinations, delusions, and strange behavior. 1-3 The phenomenon of schizophrenia mental disorder has in- creased significantly from year to year. Over 24 million people, or 1 in 300 persons (0.32%), globally have schiz- ophrenia. Adults at this rate make up 1 in 222 individuals (0.45%). It does not occur as frequently as many other mental illnesses. The most common times for onset are in late adolescence, and the early twenties, and onset often occurs earlier in men than in women. 4 The Basic Health Riset results in 2018 showed that the prevalence of schiz- ophrenia in Indonesia was 6.7%. Out of 1,000 households, 6.7 households have household members with schizo- phrenia/psychosis problems. The highest prevalence spread is found in Bali and Yogyakarta, with 11.1% and 10.4‰, respectively, who have ART with schizophrenia. 5 A preliminary study at the Grhasia Mental Hospital in Yog- yakarta found that as many as 36 patients with schizophre- nia had hallucinations in September 2020. Schizophrenia's most prevalent symptom is hallucina- tions. 6 Hallucinations in the form of unreal sounds and vi- sions, self-harm behavior, delusions or feelings of exces- sive suspicion towards someone around him, and strange changes in attitude are among the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. 7 They are encouraged to do so because of the influence of hallucinations of the voice heard. 8 Individ- uals feel a stimulus in the form of hallucinations that do not exist or are not that occur continuously. If not immediately overcome, it can cause negative impacts on schizophrenia patients, increasing anxiety, depression, and even suicidal desire. 1