People matter: client-reported interpersonal interaction and its impact on symptoms of schizophrenia

The current emphasis of biological research on schizophrenia has overlooked the importance of the environment in understanding fluctuations in symptoms of this devastating mental illness. One way of reconnecting the individual with his or her environment is by better understanding the subjective experience of the illness and what environmental factors lead to changes in the symptoms of schizophrenia. This study examines the nature of the subjective experience of schizophrenia during two symptom fluctuation episodes, what individuals perceived as the most important symptom fluctuations they experienced during those episodes, and what individuals perceived as causing the fluctuations in symptoms. During both episodes individuals reported primarily mood/affect and physical symptom changes and identified interpersonal interactions as the primary cause of the symptom changes. Mental health professionals should be more aware of and better assess the role of interpersonal interaction as it relates to changes and decompensation in people with schizophrenia.