[Coping with schizophrenia (I): theoretical perspectives and empirical findings].

Theoretical positions from schizophrenia research, dealing with the issue of coping, are presented and discussed in terms of the processes described and the relationship, which is seen between symptoms and mechanisms of coping. Also, empirical work is reported, where coping of schizophrenic patients in relation to their disorder was analyzed. Dependent on their respective theoretical perspective, these studies investigate coping with clinical symptoms, with basic disorders or with the requirements of the particular situation of living. Discussing the results, their utility for clinical practice is analyzed. Research questions concerning the conceptual formulation of coping with a psychotic disease, the assessment methodology and the issue of external criteria for validation are elaborated.