During the past decade, the internet and particularly online networking platforms became very popular and seem to play an increasingly important role in our health care system. The present work is the first of its kind to examine how patients with the diagnosis schizophrenia use the internet. Emphasis is put on their exchange in online message boards and social networks to examine whether these can act as suitable complements to a conventional face-to-face therapy. The following methodology is

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... sed: In eight major hypotheses, along with five minor hypotheses the framework of this investigation is set up. These were translated into a comprehensive questionnaire to probe the statements. About 50 patients and 51 healthy persons of the age group 18–30 years responded to these questions and the insight gained from the analysis is used to verify/falsify the set of hypotheses and draw the conclusions outlined below. Patients suffering from schizophrenia use the Internet less frequently than the healthy and also spend less time using online message boards. Hence, they are not along the lines of increased (illness-related) online exchange as known from other psychiatric patients, e.g. those suffering from severe depression. While both, patients and healthy persons, use the internet for information acquisition the aforementioned make little use of online communication functionalities. It must be noted instead, that they show a strong affinity towards computers games, therefore the latter present an interesting approach for future therapy attempts. In contrast to social networks, participation in message boards was poor in both groups. The patients didn't find them very helpful to redevelop an openness towards people they meet in real life. Both groups consider the acquired contacts via this route as rather insignificant. Patients experience [...]