[Predicting the job performance of schizophrenic patients]

Predicting the job performance of schizophrenic patients after discharge from hospital has been the focus of many studies within the last 30 years. In our own long-term study, we have started to follow-up 49 consecutively admitted schizophrenics taking their individual return on the so-called first employment market as primary target variable. To evaluate the respective predictive power, a set of different neuropsychological, psychopathological and psychosocial parameters was gathered in each patient. The data presented here are based on our first follow-up 18 months after discharge.

In concordance with present literature, statistical analysis revealed the following variables to be of decisive significance for successful occupational reintegration: - presence vs. absence of negative symptoms; - subjective ratings by interviewer; - baseline of both psychiatric treatment and working tenure.

A combination of these parameters provides a useful tool to assess prospectively the individual job performance of a given patient.