The short-term course of familial and nonfamilial schizophrenic-spectrum disorder

This study was designed to determine if familial and nonfamilial forms of schizophrenia show a different short-term illness course. Sixteen familial and 22 nonfamilial schizophrenics were evaluated on three occasions at regular 6-month intervals over an 18-month period. The familial and nonfamilial groups were compared for differences in positive and negative symptoms of psychosis and interpersonal and occupational role functioning. The data show that familial schizophrenics experience significantly higher levels of positive symptoms of psychosis and significantly worse occupational role functioning. Significant time by family history interactions indicates that the negative symptoms and interpersonal role functioning of the familial schizophrenics changed over the course of follow-up while remaining stable over time in the nonfamilial group. These data provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that familial schizophrenics show a higher degree of impairment during follow-up than nonfamilial schizophrenics.