Associations of symptoms, psychosocial function and hope with qualities of self-experience in schizophrenia: Comparisons of objective and subjective indicators of health

While changes in self-experience have been suggested to be an important element of recovery from severe mental illness, little is known about how qualities of self-experience are linked with other indicators of health including objective measures such as symptoms profiles and subjective measures such as hope. To examine these issues the narratives of self and illness of 65 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorder were obtained prior to entry into rehabilitation and rated using the Scale to Assess Narrative Development (STAND). STAND scores were then compared with concurrent assessments of hope assessed with the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), psychosocial function using the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) and symptom profile defined categorically using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results suggest that higher ratings of the STAND were associated with greater expectations of perseverance on the BHS and higher levels of psychosocial function on the QOL. Lower symptom profiles were similarly linked with higher STAND scores. Results suggest qualities of self-experience expressed within personal narratives are linked to symptom profiles and subjective assessments of health. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.