The Fourth Scientific Forum on Schizophrenia, organized by the Saudi Schizophrenia Society "Ihtiwaa" under the generous patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Asir region and chairman of the Asir Development Authority, concluded under the theme "Challenges and Directions." The forum was held at King Khalid University in Al-Fara'a and ran for two days packed with training workshops and specialized panel discussions.

The second day featured workshops focused on important topics related to schizophrenia, most notably how to address patients' refusal of treatment and psychometric assessment of psychotic symptoms, alongside a discussion of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS). The sessions also highlighted the role of the family in dealing with violent schizophrenia patients and the importance of integrated psychotherapy that combines psychological treatment with social support, with an emphasis on educating families to effectively support patients.

Forum Goals:

The forum aims to improve quality of life for schizophrenia patients by strengthening partnerships between various health and social organizations, and supporting patients and their families with the latest therapeutic and educational practices. The society is also working to achieve sustainability by investing available resources, fostering a competitive volunteering environment, and pursuing international recognition to enhance its clinical practices.