It is now widely recognized that impairment in social functioning is one of the most enduring features of schizophrenia. While some medications are effective in reducing psychotic symptoms, they tend to have little or no effect on the social functioning of these patients. To address the social needs of patients with schizophrenia, increased attention has been paid to developing interventions designed to improve their social functioning. However, little is understood about the nature of these patients' social deficits, their origins, course, and response to treatment. With increased efforts aimed at improving social functioning in schizophrenia, there is a need for resources that summarize and synthesize recent findings related to this topic. This is the most authoritative, up-to-date, comprehensive book available that examines social functioning in this disorder from a wide variety of perspectives. This handbook is an important reference work that provides integrated summaries on topics of importance to clinicians and researchers, including: assessment, phenomenology, rehabilitation, quality of life, and more. Clinicians and researchers working with schizophrenic patients. It is also a useful addition to libraries. A Longwood Professional Book.