EPA-1207 – Toward the Quite Early Screening for the Risk of Schizophrenia

Abstract

Aim:

The subclinical behavioral and psychological characteristics of schizophrenic children have not been sufficiently investigated to present specific evidences. To elucidate the picture of them, and to find out indicators which predict later development of schizophrenia, childhood behaviors of the adult schizophrenia subjects were investigated in a questionnaire-based retrospective study.

Method:

Schizophrenia outpatients in his/her twenties and normal healthy subjects were investigated. All patients are diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR as schizophrenia, and who present now mainly negative symptoms after passing an acute stage. By modified use of the CBCL (Child Behavior Checklist) as a retrospective assessment questionnaire, the parents of the patients and of control subjects rated their childhood (aged 6–8 years) behavior.

Results:

Among the eight CBCL syndrome subscale T-scores, those of’Withdrawan’,’Anxious/Depressed’,’Social problems’ and’Attention problems’ were significantly associated with schizophrenia, although any of these scores were not in clinical range. Patients also showed a significantly attenuated aggression. The hit-rate when classifying the schizophrenic and normal subjects by logistic regression analysis using the eight CBCL syndrome subscale T-scores totaled 87.8%.

Conclusion:

The results suggested that subclinical behavioral and psychological characteristics of schizophrenia already exist in the patients’ childhood. With some assessment tool using obtained logistic regression formulas, the quite early screening for the risk of schizophrenia could be possible.