Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy of medication management and symptom management skills-training for preventing schizophrenics' relapse and rehabilitating their mental handicaps.Methods133 subjects were randomly assigned to the skills training group and the control group. Both groups received the same treatment, but the skills training courses were given to the skills training group for the first twenty weeks. One-year follow-up was carried out. All subjects were evaluated with standard rating scales and self-complied drug treatment compliance rating scale. Results128 subjects had completed the research. The skills training group demonstrated clinical results significantly superior to those of the control group on overall improvement according to the total score of the drug treatment compliance rating scale, the rate of relapse, the rate of re-hospitalization and the rate of effectiveness of minimizing handicap(147.9±53.2 vs. 90.4±16.3, 146.1±20.0 vs. 91.7±16.7;12.5% vs. 55%; 3.2% vs. 39.6%;86.5% vs. 26.5%, P<0.01).Conclusions The two kinds of skills training are effective in both preventing the relapse of schizophrenics in the community and minimizing their handicap.