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The birth seasonality effect in nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients
Author(s) -
Watson Charles G.,
Tilleskjor Curt,
Kucala Teresa,
Jacobs Lyle
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198407)40:4<884::aid-jclp2270400402>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - neuroticism , etiology , psychology , personality , psychiatry , personality disorders , personality changes , clinical psychology , psychoanalysis
Several studies have suggested that patients with affective, neurotic, and personality disorders are particularly likely to have been born during the early months of the year. They suggest that seasonal factors may play a role in the etiologies of these disorders. However, Lewis and Griffin (1981) Have suggested that the reported seasonal exaggerations in psychiatric patients' birthrates simply may reffect artifacts. We searched for seasonal trends in the birth patterns of neurotics ( N = 989), alcoholics ( N = 2,870), affective disorders ( N = 320) and personality disorders ( N = 713), both before and after controlling for these artifacts. No significant effect appeaed.