Beyond Symptom Thresholds: Toward a Clinically and Culturally Inclusive Definition of Relapse in Schizophrenia

What is it about?

This article comments on a new international consensus about how to define relapse in schizophrenia. While the consensus focuses mainly on symptom changes, our commentary suggests adding two more dimensions that reflect real-life impact: functional decline and the use of mental health services. We call this multidomain model the “SвFвR triad” (SymptomsвFunctionвRisk/Resources). It aims to make research definitions more clinically meaningful and adaptable to different health-care systems. The goal is to bridge research and daily clinical practice so that relapse definitions reflect patients’ real-world experiences.

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