The longitudinal patterns of work performance of a sample of 108 male schizophrenic patients hospitalized during the years 1957 through 1959 have been described. Before the first admission, the general vocational performance can be characterized as comparable to the U. S. population as a whole. After the first hospitalization, excluding the time lost to further admissions, this group maintained a working status 65% of the time while discharged within the community.In the 6 months prior to the key admission, 62% of the sample had been working, 38% were unemployed. At follow-up, an average of 3 years later, the working group had dropped to 43%. The total earnings, total working hours, and vocational status per se likewise followed a downward trend.In order of significance, cumulative hospitalization time, marital status, intergenerational vocational mobility, occupation, education, and intergenerational educational mobility were related to current employment status. Adjudged age of onset of illness, age at first admission, total number of admissions, and the education or occupation of the father were not related to employment at follow-up.Abstract Teaser