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Comparison of first‐episode and chronic patients diagnosed with schizophrenia: symptoms and childhood trauma
Author(s) -
Wang Zheng,
Xue Zhimin,
Pu Weidan,
Yang Bo,
Li Li,
Yi Wenyin,
Wang Peng,
Liu Chang,
Wu Guowei,
Liu Zhening,
Rosenheck Robert A.
Publication year - 2013
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.1751-7893.2012.00387.x
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , odds ratio , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , medicine , neglect , childhood abuse , logistic regression , psychological intervention , psychology , poison control , injury prevention , environmental health
Aim There has been considerable interest in identifying and addressing the specific needs of early‐episode patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the hope that by addressing such needs early, chronic disabilities can be avoided. Methods One hundred twenty‐eight early‐episode and 571 chronic patients were compared on socio‐demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms and history of childhood trauma. Symptoms were measured with the P ositive and N egative S yndrome S cale ( PANSS ), and trauma with the short version of the C hildhood T rauma Q uestionnaire. Results First‐episode patients scored 9.3% higher than chronic patients on the PANSS positive symptom scale and 16.3% lower on the negative symptom scale. More first episode patients reported childhood sexual abuse ( P = 0.033); however, fewer reported childhood emotional neglect ( P = 0.01). Childhood trauma was associated with positive symptoms, specifically with hallucinations in first‐episode patients ( r = 0.174; P = 0.049). Moreover, fewer parents of first episode patients were living alone ( P = 0.008). On multiple logistic regression, the first‐episode patients were younger (odds ratio = 0.92), had higher PANSS positive symptom scores (odds ratio 1.04) and lower negative symptom scores (odds ratio 0.948 recalculate). Conclusions More positive symptoms, fewer negative symptoms, less isolated parents and greater risk of childhood sexual abuse might warrant attention in first episode schizophrenia and perhaps should be a focus for the development of targeted interventions.