. 2020 Jul 14;20:368. doi: 10.1186/s12888-020-02776-w

Table 2.

Themes

Main Theme	Sub-themes *patient*	Sub-themes *befriender*
Bridging the gap	Normalising schizophrenia	Changing perceptions of schizophrenia
Bridging the gap	Is the gap too big to bridge?	My match was an easy one
A genuine relationship that developed over time	Developing a genuine and reciprocal friendship	Attuning to my match
A genuine relationship that developed over time	Developing a genuine and reciprocal friendship	Befriending can be emotional
A big commitment	It doesn’t feel like they have time for me	Befriending is a bigger commitment than I originally thought
A big commitment	Befriending is a voluntary role	It’s volunteering so there is no obligation
A flexible approach	The scheme needs to be flexible to differing needs	The balance between pushing and patronising
A flexible approach	Achieving goals vs. having someone to talk to	The balance between pushing and patronising