Gender, social competence, and symptomatology in schizophrenia: a longitudinal analysis

Article Abstract:

It has been observed that, in general, schizophrenic women have a less severe course of illness than schizophrenic men. Compared with men, women usually develop the illness later in life, have fewer and shorter periods of hospitalization, and have on the whole better prognoses. Several theories have been developed to account for these differences, including biologically based theories that suggest a biochemical difference; the influence of social factors on women and men has also been used to account for these differences. This study assessed a group of schizophrenic men and women over a one-year period following hospitalization, to identify differences in symptoms, social skills, and social adjustment. Eighteen men and 13 women were available for follow-up; these schizophrenic patients were also compared with a group of 20 matched controls and a group of 33 patients hospitalized with affective disorders. No gender-related differences were found in the control group or in the affective disorder patients in terms of social competence and symptoms. However, among the schizophrenics, the women had superior social skills to the men. The social skills of the women schizophrenics remained stable over the period of study. Overall improvements in social adjustment and symptoms were found in all of the schizophrenic patients. These results suggest female schizophrenics can be distinguished from male schizophrenics by their superior social skills, a gender distinction that did not in this case apply to patients with affective disorders or to the controls. Whether or not this observation of social competence is influential in, or is simply correlated to, the course of illness is not clear. Possible implications and explanations of this gender-related difference are discussed. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Social aspects, Demographic aspects, Longitudinal studies

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Familial, obstetric, and other clinical correlates of minor physical anomalies in schizophrenia

Article Abstract:

A study was carried out to quantify and examine the origins of minor physical abnormalities among a group of 41 schizophrenic outpatients (aged 20 to 48 years), and to assess the relationship between physical abnormalities and the later development of schizophrenia. The focus was on prenatal and birthing trauma, since research has demonstrated an association between schizophrenia and minor physical abnormalities believed to develop during the early stages of embryonic and fetal growth, or during delivery. Patients were examined for minor physical anomalies of the head, eyes, mouth, ears, hands and feet. The biological mother of each patient was interviewed in relation to her obstetric, family and psychiatric history. Analysis of the data revealed a relationship between a history of maternal bleeding in early pregnancy and minor physical abnormalities in patients. A strong and significant relationship was found between a family history of schizophrenia and minor physical anomalies, particularly among male patients. This suggests that the physical abnormalities associated with schizophrenia have a genetic basis. Higher numbers of minor physical abnormalities were also found to be significantly related to poorer performance on tests which measure cognitive and neuropsychological tasks such as vigilance, selective attention and orientation in time and space. Thus, minor physical abnormalities seem to indicate early abnormal development in schizophrenics, especially in males, and seem to be more associated with genetic and cognitive causes than with obstetric or birth traumas. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Physiological aspects

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