Assessment of basic symptoms in schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders

In order to evaluate the basic symptoms differences of schizophrenics, schizoaffectives and bipolar patients, a consecutive series of 72 outpatients participated in the study. According to DSM III-R criteria, 28 had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, 29 of bipolar disorder and 15 of schizoaffective disorder. The assessment of basic symptoms was performed using the Frankfurter Beschwerde-Fragebogen (FBF). Data obtained suggest that perception and thought disturbances are the most characteristic experiences of schizophrenic patients in comparison with bipolar patients. The FBF questionnaire did not highlight a characteristic basic symptoms profile of schizoaffective disorder, when compared with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia.