Little attention outside the therapeutic setting has been given to
specifying the aspects of social relationships that might be helpful for
patients recovering from psychotic episodes. The authors studied 20
patients who had been hospitalized for a psychotic episode for 1 year
following discharge to examine the role their social relationships played
during this period. The data show that 12 functions of social relationships
were important and that there were two phases of social
needs--convalescence and rebuilding--over the recovery period. The authors
discuss the theoretical and clinical implications of these findings.Abstract Teaser