The authors propose using primary and enduring negative or deficit
symptoms for dichotomizing schizophrenic patients into two groups, deficit
and nondeficit. The validity of this approach was examined by comparing 17
deficit and 17 nondeficit patients for differences in premorbid adjustment
and degree of neurological impairment. Deficit patients were characterized
by poorer premorbid adjustment and greater neurological impairment.
Neurological impairment was not related to premorbid adjustment in either
group or in the total patient population. These findings support the
utility of deficit symptoms for defining a more homogeneous subgroup of
schizophrenia.Abstract Teaser