This essay is an introduction to a review of the literature on measurement of social support in schizophrenia. It proposes a natural history for the development of the career of the schizophrenic in his social network. The dimensions of social support in this illness are shown to be specific to it, and different from what has been described for other illnesses such as depression. Certain qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the clusters which make up the social network are suggested for study.

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A selective review of the literature reveals some methods and instruments that show promise for the investigation of social support as a factor in the course and treatment of schizophrenia. Approaches are divided into social-psychological questionnaires, anthropological network studies, ethnographies, and clinical epidemiological investigations. Social support measures designed for the general population probably have little relevance in schizophrenia. It appears that the most useful information comes from immersion in the experience of the patients, families, and caretakers rather than from an effort to develop a measure of social support in general that would be applicable to them.

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