Purpose of review: This study builds on the self-disorder hypothesis of schizophrenia and further develops it by integrating the notion of 'selfhood' with that of 'personhood'. The self-disorder hypothesis brings to light the patient's subjective abnormal experiences. What may remain out of focus is the person's attitude towards these anomalous experiences.
Recent findings: Taking into account the notion of personhood allows for an articulation of the way the suffering person reflectively responds to and makes sense of her troubled selfhood. This approach is conducive to the development of a person-centred dialectical (PCD) model of schizophrenia that is concerned not only with the phenomenological description of troubled selfhood but also with how persons with schizophrenia interact and cope with their abnormal experiences. The principal clinical implication is the development of a two-tier descriptive system including phenomenal assessment of disordered selfhood and appraisal of personal background.
Summary: The recognition of the patient's resources is necessary for effective treatment, as recovery requires not only the reduction of full-blown symptoms but also a change in the patient's attitude with respect to her basic abnormal phenomena. The latter involves the person's own effort to make sense of and cope with her vulnerability.