The challenge of psychiatric rehabilitation in schizophrenia

Many persons with schizophrenia continue to struggle with psychiatric symptoms and poor social adjustment, even when prescribed appropriate doses of antipsychotic medications. Psychiatric rehabilitation involves using psychosocial interventions to minimize symptoms and relapse while maximizing social functioning in schizophrenia. In this article, the scope of psychiatric rehabilitation is first defined and then the rationale for psychiatric rehabilitation is presented. The challenges to implementation of psychiatric rehabilitation strategies are next articulated. Finally, brief reviews of the four most empirically validated psychiatric rehabilitation techniques are presented.