Consumer perspectives on the concept of recovery in schizophrenia: A systematic review

• Recovery was perceived as both process and outcome.
• Concept of recovery could be categorized into process/self/family/social and illness orientation.
• Measures of recovery should have criteria from all these domains.
• Recovery has different stages.
• Complete recovery is only when the symptoms are less and able to live without medicines.

Subjective descriptions of recovery from schizophrenia may be different from clinical recovery measures. The aim of the review was to identify the consumer perspectives of recovery from schizophrenia. Twenty-five studies within the period of 2000–2013, including qualitative and quantitative studies were reviewed by using different search strategies. An integrated method was used and the findings were coded and related themes were identified under five areas, namely, process orientation, self orientation, family orientation, social orientation, and illness orientation. Recovery was considered as both process and outcome. Patient or client-based definitions of recovery mainly involved factors related to personal wellbeing and social inclusion, that were seemingly distant from the clinical recovery measures. Incorporating consumer descriptions of recovery in recovery oriented services can increase the outcome of the services.