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Is untreated psychosis socially toxic?
Author(s) -
Norman Ross M. G.,
Malla Ashok K.,
Manchanda Rahula
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
early intervention in psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.087
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-7893
pISSN - 1751-7885
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-7893.2007.00038.x
Subject(s) - dup , psychosis , confounding , psychology , social support , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , social psychology , biochemistry , chemistry , gene duplication , gene
Aim: This study was to assess whether any relationship between duration of untreated psychosis and social support can be explained by the role of an individual's family and friends in recognizing the need for help or by other confounds. Method: Data were carefully collected on 122 first episode patients concerning their length of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), social support at time of presenting for treatment and after 1 year, and various clinical and premorbid characteristics. Results: We found a significant relationship between DUP and social support. We then tested an alternative hypothesis that this reflects low social support bringing about treatment delay through delay in recognition by others of need for help. We also assessed whether the relationship between DUP and social support is a result of confounding by other clinical or demographic characteristics. No support was found for either of these alternate explanations. Conclusions: The results suggest that DUP may be socially toxic.