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Accuracy of self-reported premorbid functioning in schizophrenia.
N Brill1, A Reichenberg, J Rabinowitz
1Ashkelon Academic College, Israel.
Schizophrenia Research
|July 14, 2007
Summary
Individuals with schizophrenia accurately report their past functioning, similar to controls. This suggests self-reports of premorbid functioning in schizophrenia are reliable for assessing treatment response.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Premorbid functioning is crucial for predicting treatment response in schizophrenia.
- Memory impairments in schizophrenia may bias self-reported premorbid functioning.
- Previous research has not investigated recall bias in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess recall bias in self-reported premorbid functioning among individuals with schizophrenia.
- To compare reporting accuracy between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Compared retrospective self-reports of premorbid functioning (age 17) with current assessments in 70 males with schizophrenia and 51 controls.
- Utilized data from the Israeli Draft Board behavioral assessment.
- Examined correlations between symptom severity, neuropsychological performance, and reporting accuracy.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in reporting accuracy was found between individuals with schizophrenia and controls.
- Both groups exhibited a slight tendency to overstate past functioning.
- Reporting consistency did not correlate with symptom severity or neuropsychological deficits.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate consistent self-reporting of premorbid functioning, comparable to controls.
- Self-reported premorbid functioning in schizophrenia can be considered reasonably accurate.
- Findings support the validity of using self-report measures for premorbid functioning in schizophrenia research and clinical practice.
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