From Psychopathology to Psychosocial Function - The new Outcome Dimension

Abstract

While in the past most attention was paid to psychopathology, these days outcome-parameters such as cognitive and occupational performance, emotional stability, quality of life and the psychosocial functioning have been recognized as an important determinant of treatment success. Instead of only reducing the symptoms a therapy with antipsychotics must attain higher goals such as remission and recovery nowadays. The Psychosocial Performance Scale (PSP) offers a validated, reliable and operational tool to assess the psychosocial functioning of patients during the course of treatment as well as in the acute state. Mini-ICF-P might be a similar instrument for measuring psychosocial functioning. In the future, medication and non-medication treatment strategies will also be judged by the ability to improve the psychosocial functioning of patients with schizophrenia, as measured by PSP and Mini-ICF-P.