Recruitment of non-patient volunteers with schizophrenia spectrum personality symptoms

Authors aimed to evaluate the yield and effectiveness of recruiting community schizophrenia spectrum personality (SSP) subjects via targeted newspaper advertisements listing SSP traits. Eight newspaper advertisements listing SSP traits were placed in regional newspapers over a 3-year period. Respondents (n = 209) were screened thoroughly via telephone, and eligible subjects were invited for face-to-face clinical interviews. One hundred and one subjects (48% of the respondents) were screened out over the phone and another 30% were no-shows or refused. Of the 46 subjects who were interviewed, a majority (24 subjects; 52%) met this study's criteria for SSP. These subjects experienced significant psychotic-like symptoms, as ascertained by a self-rating scale, and showed a downward drift in their socio-economic status. One can successfully recruit SSP subjects, with high yield, using targeted telephone advertisements combined with thorough telephone screening.