Introduction: Schizophrenia is a mental disorder. The course of this medical condition and its treatment depend to a large extent on the patients. The ability to overcome difficult situations, related to such disorder and ways of coping with stress, is influenced by a factor called Sense of Coherence (SOC). The Sense of Coherence (SOC) explains the correlation between support and health. A high level of SOC gives faith in the meaning of life, the way in which life is arranged, life’s predictability – all that makes us eager to be fit and healthy. Social support is an external resource that influences health. Aim: Identification of the relationship between the need for support and the level of the Sense of Coherence as an exponent of the effectiveness of the treatment of schizophrenia. Material and methods: The study was conducted on a group of 102 patients hospitalized for schizophrenia in the psychiatric ward in the Provincial Hospital for the Mentally Ill “Dziekanka” in Gniezno. Sense of Coherence was assessed using Antonovsky SOC-29 and the measurement of social support was assessed against the Kmiecik-Baran scale. Result: The subjects had an average level of Sense of Coherence and social support. Emotional support received from relatives and medical staff was perceived the highest. The performance support increased along with Sense of Coherence. Conclusions: Assessing the level of Sense of Coherence and support received by patients with schizophrenia will help to determine the need for social support and its well-adjusted types, which may have a significant impact on patients’ social functioning and finding more efficient ways of coping with the symptoms of the disease.

schizophrenia, social support, sense of coherence (SOC), coping with stress, acceptance of illness