Más allá de los síntomas: Una mirada integrada de la ecuperación de personas diagnosticadas con Esquizofrenia a través métodos mixtos

Background: Understanding improvements in schizophrenia has undergone a shift towards integrating clinical and subjective measurements; however, reconciling the richness of subjective experience with operational criteria remains a pending challenge. Objective: To conceptualize a comprehensive measure of recovery in schizophrenia by integrating clinical and subjective measures from qualitative and quantitative data sources. Method: A convergent mixed-methods design was used to analyze the relationship between symptomatic, functional, and psychological recovery measures. The total sample consists of 178 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, with 60.1% being men, having secondary education (69.1%), and 44.6% identifying with an ethnic group. From the total sample, 10 individuals were selected for interviews to collect qualitative data. Results: Qualitative and quantitative data sources converge on a multidimensional measure of recovery. Moreover, interviewees' opinions align with quantitative data regarding the significance of internalized stigma, resilience, self-esteem, social support, and personal confidence in the recovery process. However, data sources differ regarding pharmacological adherence, where the relevance attributed to medications by interviewees was not observed in quantitative analyses. Conclusions: Recovery in schizophrenia is a complex process involving symptom reduction, psychological well-being, and functional autonomy. The challenges of comprehensive therapeutic approaches and the need to reform current mental health systems are discussed.