The empowerment and quality of life oriented program of the day clinic might contribute to the recovery process in people with schizophrenia. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of day clinic treatment on recovery.

Data from two groups of patients were collected twice, at baseline and after five weeks. The experimental group attended the day clinic treatment (N = 20) and the control group waited for the day clinic treatment (N = 20). At both times measures of recovery (RAS), hope (IHS), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREV), psychopathology (PANSS) and demographic and clinical data were collected. Additionally at the end of the study patients were interviewed about subjectively experienced changes concerning recovery in the last five weeks. T-test and general linear model were conducted to analyze longitudinal data.

Changes during the five weeks within the day clinic group showed significant improvements in two RAS-subscales, hope, two quality of life domains and positive symptoms. Within the control group no significant changes occurred. Subjectively experienced changes concerning recovery were reported by 90% of the day clinic group and by 40% of the control group. Significant differences between the two groups concerned changes in the RAS-subscale “goal and success orientation” and psychological and global quality of life.

In this small sample changes in recovery between both groups were significantly different only for one RAS-subscale. A randomized controlled study with a sample size of 76 for each group should be performed to assess the effectiveness of day clinic treatment on recovery.