PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
WERNER SIMON M.D., and
ROBERT D. WIRT PH.D.1
1 VA Hospital, Minneapolis 17, Minn.
Four social history and 12 prognostic factors, reported in the literature to have statistical validity, were studied in this investigation. In addition, personality, historical and demographic data of 80 consecutive first hospital admission patients were compared clinically and statistically during and 1 year following hospitalization.
Some factors were prognostic of hospital course, while others were related to longer term adjustment.
A clinical comparison utilizing detailed social histories of the most and least improved patients, produced 13 behavior variables, both favorable and unfavorable, which differentiated good and poor prognosis.
In addition, the data give empirical support for some theories of etiology in schizophrenia.
