Abstract: Objective To in-depth study the cognition on and experience of resource orientation of family members of hospitalized schizophrenic patients on, and provide scientific basis for formulating rehabilitation strategies. Methods Purposive sampling was used to select 15 family members of chronic schizophrenic inpatients from January to December 2021, and a face-to-face semi-structured interview was conducted. Results In terms of the patient's recovery process, the cognitions of family members in seeking resources were insufficient understanding of the patient's own resources, family resources and social resources; the patient's diligent and studious lifestyle serving as motivation for recovery; the quality of the family member's interpersonal relationships determining the extent of seeking social resources; good family functioning which is conducive to seeking resources. Family members understood the reasons for the difficulty in obtaining resources as follows: the belief that the disease was caused by disease-causing genes led to a refusal to seek resources; past negative life experiences of the patient hindered confidence in obtaining resources; the patient's disease status determined the extent of resource utilization, and poor interpersonal relationships restricted the willingness to seek resources. Conclusion The limitation of accessing rehabilitation resources is influenced by both the perception of the disease and the functionality of the family. In the future, family education should focus on introducing new models in psychiatric medicine to update the understanding of the disease. Emotional support should also be provided to improve family functionality, thus to enhance the family's awareness of available resources.

Key words: resource orientation, schizophrenia, chronic, family, qualitative research