Exploring schizophrenic thinking in older adolescents with the WAIS, Rorschach and WIST

Literature that addresses the diagnosis of mental disorder in adolescents strongly suggests that it may not be possible to do so. Schizophrenic thinking, in particular, has been seen as generally characteristic of adolescents. Making judgments of specific responses from the Rorschach, the WAIS, and the WIST, 10 expert clinicians were able to make judgments with regard to 12 adolescents in the 16-19 age range that were surprisingly accurate in discriminating among schizophrenics, nonschizophrenic hospitalized adolescents, and a normal control group. Results indicate that schizophrenic thinking is not necessarily characteristic of adolescents and that information from the WIST may be helpful in identifying schizophrenic adolescents.