Which statement best describes the relationship between remission and recovery rates in first episode psychosis?

• A. Remission rate is 30%; recovery rate for broadly defined schizophrenia is 13.5%
• B. Remission rate is 56%; recovery rate is 13.5%
• C. Remission rate is 30%; recovery rate is 56%
• D. Remission rate is 13.5%; recovery rate is 30%

Answer: (A)

Remission tends to occur more often than full recovery in first-episode psychosis because symptom improvement can happen without achieving lasting functional healing. Remission means the core psychotic symptoms are reduced to a mild level for a sustained period, while recovery also requires stable social and occupational functioning over time. The numbers given—about 30% remission and about 13.5% recovery—fit this pattern, showing that symptom relief is more common than achieving broader, long-term functioning. In contrast, statements that put remission at 56% or that raise recovery above remission don’t align with typical findings, and swapping the figures would misrepresent the relationship.