Symptomatic Outcome in Schizophrenia

A total of 132 schizophrenic patients, treated on six inpatient units and discharged to the community, were interviewed two to three years postdischarge. Virtually no patients were symptom free. Only five were healthy on neurotic and psychotic indexes. Approximately one quarter of the entire sample had considerable symptoms of psychosis. Social class was most strongly related to symptomatic outcome. High social class was associated with better symptomatic outcome (particularly psychotic symptoms). Neurotic symptomatology was influenced by race. Psychotic symptomatology was also influenced by length of time in treatment and in drug therapy. Overall symptomatology and psychotic and neurotic factors were independent of marital status and other described predictive items, including age at onset, precipitating factors, family members ever in treatment, and depression and confusion during the index episode.