title: Patients' accounts of stress and coping in schizophrenia.
abstract: Many current approaches to the management of schizophrenia emphasize the influence of environmental stress on the course of the illness. Relatively neglected is the internal experience of schizophrenic patients as a source of stress and anxiety. The author draws on a wide range of first-person accounts by patients with schizophrenia to identify four internal sources of stress--altered perceptions, cognitive confusion, attentional deficit, and impaired identity--and to reveal the wisdom and creativity with which patients have come to terms with their illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hatfield
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D011936:Reality Testing; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*