Nonregressive schizophrenia ‐ a long‐term comparative follow‐up investigation

Abstract

A 14-17 year follow-up study of a first admission sample of nonregressive schizophrenic cases revealed a phenomenological and diagnostic consistency over time. Some improved and adapted well in society but a considerable proportion developed into chronic schizophrenic syndromes. Schizophrenic deterioration was also manifested among those who adhered to a nonregressive course without ever revealing frank psychotic decompensation. Treatment consumption and disability were high. Prognosis and outcome were, in the main, similar to a parallel series of regressive schizophrenic first-admission cases of similar sex and age composition. The sex difference noted in the intermediate-term outcome study in 1973, with a more favourable outcome among the women, was no longer present. The findings added further support to the validity of the concept of nonregressive schizophrenia and to the hypothesis of a joint nosology with classical schizophrenia.

Predicting long‐term outcome in schizophrenia

“…Since the article presenting the outcome results (28) reported on outcome measures slightly differently than this article, the distributions of the particular variables are presented in Table 1. The relationships between the variables are presented in Table 2.…”

“…The high precision in predicting 5to 9-year outcome (49% cf outcome variance explained) in a previous study (21) encouraged us to replicate the prediction for 14-to 17-year outcome. The outcome particulars have already been published by the second author (28).…”

Electrodermal activity and social network as predictors of outcome of episodes in schizophrenia.

“…Schizophrenia may be viewed as an episodic disorder with periods of recovery followed by relapse and recurrent episodes (e.g., Ciompi, 1989). Scandinavian (Mortensen & Eaton, 1994; Nyman, 1989) and other studies (for a review, see Ram, Bromet, Eaton, Pato, & Schwartz, 1992) suggest that approximately 50% of schizophrenic patients are still in remission 1–2 years after their first discharge. According to vulnerability–stress theory (e.g., Zubin & Spring, 1977), the likelihood of an active episode of schizophrenia is determined jointly by people's vulnerability and the level of stress in their environment.…”