title: The course of schizophrenia: some remarks on a yet unsolved problem of retrospective data collection.
abstract: The retrospective assessment of symptoms and syndromes is a basic measure in research of the longitudinal course of schizophrenia. In spite of its importance there have been few studies evaluating the standard of quality of instruments for retrospective data collection. Combining retrospectively and cross-sectionally collected data on schizophrenic symptomatology in a cohort study over a period of 5 years revealed a significant underestimation of symptoms when assessed in retrospect. The need for studies on the validity of instruments for the retrospective assessment of symptoms is stressed.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Mental Health, Schizophrenia Research Unit, Mannheim, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: an der Heiden
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krumm
mesh_terms: D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology