We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Vulnerability to delusions over time in schizophrenia and affective disorders.
- Authors
Harrow, M; MacDonald, A W, 3rd; Sands, J R; Silverstein, M L
- Abstract
This research used a prospective longitudinal design to study differences in vulnerability to delusions over time in 234 subjects with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar or unipolar affective disorder. Patients were assessed at three successive followups over a 7- to 8-year period. Over 60 percent of the schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients assessed experienced delusional activity at one of the three followups. Over 60 percent of the patients who initially had psychotic affective disorders also showed posthospital delusional activity. Significantly more schizophrenia patients than psychotic affective-disordered patients experienced consistent posthospital delusional activity at three successive followups. Unlike the schizophrenia subjects, affective patients showed a significant reduction in delusions after the first followup. After the initial acute psychotic episode that led to hospitalization, psychotic bipolar and unipolar affective patients showed a traitlike vulnerability to episodic delusional activity over time, but schizophrenia patients were vulnerable to more severe delusional activity and to more frequently recurring or sustained delusions. The study results question the views of several major theorists on the importance, persistance, and prognostic significance of delusions in schizophrenia.
- Publication
Schizophrenia bulletin, 1995, Vol 21, Issue 1, p95
- ISSN
0586-7614
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1093/schbul/21.1.95