Social functioning
In addition to clinical symptoms, the diagnosis of schizophrenia includes
impairment and/or function decrease in crucial aspects of the psychosocial domain,
such as work skills, independence, and social functioning. Thus, the evaluation and
treatment of these aspects has become a key objective when planning the
recovery process. According Kopelowicz and Liberman (2004), a global and
operational definition of recovery includes standardized levels of independent
living, social and occupational functioning instead of the sole remission or nonintrusion
of psychotic symptoms. These authors claim that people have recovered
when symptoms of their illness do not intrude on their functioning in everyday life,
permitting them to work, attend school, participate in social and recreational
activities and live as independently as possible in normal community environments
without being segregated in enclaves of the mentally ill (Liberman & Kopelowicz,