Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the latent organisation of the phenomenology of schizophrenia through examination of the fit of dimensional models to observed symptoms date. A group of 66 DSM-IV paranoid schizophrenic in-patients were assessed three times using the SAPS, SANS, BPRS and PAS. The interrelations between individual symptoms of each scale were examined by means of principal component analysis. The results of factor analysis of the findings from SANS and SAPS confirm the three-factor model, composed of a negative, disorganisation and psychotic factor. Extending the range of symptomatology using BPRS resulted in a five-factor model, composed of the following factors: paranoid, negative, affective, cognitive and disorganised behaviour. In view of the findings based on Strauss' work (1974) the PAS has been added to the SANS, SAPS and BPRS, whose results were examined by factor analysis. The findings indicate that it is possible to consider a six-factor model, composed of the following dimensions: paranoid, negative, affective, cognitive, disorganised behaviour and premorbid social adjustment deficits. The number of factors that best reflect the structure of the symptomatology of paranoid schizophrenia depends on the range of the symptoms under study, i.e., on the type of scales. It follows from our study that six-factor model appears to be the most suitable and clear model in rendering the multidimensionality of paranoid schizophrenia phenomenology.
IntroductionOffspring of parents with Bipolar Disorder are at increased risk for a range of psychopathology, including Bipolar Disorder, ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders and problems in their psychosocial and cognitive functioning. Familial aggregation of BD is associated with earlier age of onset, more frequent co-occurrence of other psychiatric disorders, more severe illness course.ObjectiveTo compare subsequent generations of BD patients in one family, taking account of a number of variables related to course of illness and patients’ functioning.MethodsTwelve patients withAdolescent-diagnosed BD andBD in first-degree relatives in at least three generations, were analyzed. The first-degree relatives with Bipolar Disorder in each family were compared regarding: age of onset; cognitive functioning (WCST); social functioning; course of illness, medication response, co-occurrence of other psychiatric disorders.ResultsIn subsequent generations, familial aggregation of Bipolar Disorder was associated with: earlier age of onset; more severe episodes and co-occurrence of other psychiatric disorders; worse medication response (Lithium) for a part of families; lower cognitive and social functioning.ConclusionsIn order to reduce the risk for long-term functional impairment in offspring, interventions addressing parental functioning and early interventions targeting the child's psychopathology should be introduced.
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