[Negative vs. positive therapy expectations and compliance vs. noncompliance]

The problem of compliance is compared against that of noncompliance, these two phenomena being fundamentally different from each other and depending also on different factors. A cross-sectional investigation of schizophrenic patients showed that compliant patients do not differ from the noncompliant ones with regard to the number of subjectively experienced negative drug effects but with regard to the number of subjectively experienced positive drug effects. These findings are interpreted in such a manner that patients are less likely to be prevented from complying with a treatment by the negative effects of that treatment and are more likely to cooperate because of positive therapy expectations. The question as to what represents positive therapy experiences, is discussed, as well as the problem of promoting an understanding between the physician and the patient in respect of this important aspect of therapy.