Maintenance of recovery from schizophrenia at 20-year follow-up: what happened?

The present study reports longitudinal data on individuals who 20-years ago were fully recovered from previously diagnosed schizophrenia. Four subjects from the original sample consented and were interviewed at the present follow-up; data on two more subjects were secured elsewhere. A semistructured interview, the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and Connor and Davidsons Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to examine the psychosocial functioning and resilience of the subjects in the follow-up period. Out of the six subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of schizophrenia, two subjects were still fully recovered, one was recovered, one was in remission, one had a deteriorating course of illness, and one was deceased. The results indicate that full recovery was maintained for nearly half of the reexamined subjects when a criterion-based definition of full recovery is used. Good personality and attitudinal approaches (resilience) seem to play a role in sustaining recovery.