Abstract
__‘TRIP’ (Transforming Relapse and Instilling Prosperity) is a ward‐based illness management programme that aims to decrease treatment non‐compliance and relapse rate by improving the insight and health of acute psychiatric patients with schizophrenia. Eighty‐one stable male acute psychiatric patients with schizophrenia were randomized to receive the TRIP programme (__n = __44) or the comparison group of traditional ward occupational therapy (WOT) programme (__n = 37). Participants' insights and health were assessed by the Unawareness of Mental Disorder Scale and the Hong Kong version of the Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) health survey, respectively. Each group was then followed up for a 12‐month period. One‐way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that participants in the TRIP programme had significantly better insight and health than a comparison group during post‐study measurement. Participants in the TRIP programme had significantly fewer re‐admissions in the 12‐month follow‐up period than those who attended the WOT programme. In summary the TRIP programme, as led by an occupational therapist, was effective in improving insight, awareness of health and in having a lower re‐admission rate than a traditional occupational therapy programme. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.