Correlates of subjective recovery in an early intervention program for psychoses.

Objective: To examine the relative importance of symptoms and components of social support in predicting subjective recovery from psychosis.

Methods: Eighty-four clients of a first-episode program for psychotic disorders completed measures of subjective recovery (the Recovery Assessment Scale and the Modified Engulfment Scale) and measures of social support related to appraisal support, tangible support, general sense of belongingness and perceived relational evaluation (PRE). Measures of positive and negative symptoms of psychosis were completed by an independent assessor.

Results: Although symptoms, particularly negative symptoms, were correlated with several indices of recovery, PRE generally emerged as the most consistent and important predictor.

Conclusions: PRE appears to be a particularly important aspect of social support in predicting subjective recovery. Prospective studies of the importance of PRE are warranted.