Objective To analyzethe effects of group painting therapy on negative symptoms， social function， and insight in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia during rehabilitation stage. Methods A total of 130 inpatients with schizophrenia during rehabilitation in the Department of Sleep Disorder and Department of Rehabilitation in Wuhan Mental Health Center from February to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Using a random number table method， the patients were divided into a control group （n=65） and a study group （n=65）， and received routine treatment nursing and combined group painting treatment， respectively. Before and 4 months after the intervention， the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale （PANSS）， Social Disability Schedule Scale （SDSS）， and Insight and Treatment Attitude Questionnaire （ITAQ） were used to compare the clinical symptoms， social function， and insight towards the disease between the two groups of patients. Results A total of 125 patients completed the study， including 63 in the study group and 62 in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in PANSS subscales， SDSS， and ITAQ scores between the two groups of patients before the intervention （P＞ 0.05）. The PANSS negative symptom subscale score of the control group patients after the intervention was lower than that before the intervention， and the difference was statistically significant （P＜0.01）. After the intervention， the PANSS negative symptom subscale and SDSS score of the study group were lower than those of the control group and before the intervention， and the ITAQ score was higher than those of the control group and before the intervention， with statistically significant differences （P＜ 0.01）. Conclusions Group painting therapy can improve the negative symptoms， social function，insight and treatment attitude of schizophrenic inpatients in rehabilitation stage.