title: Prognostic prediction in RDC schizo-affective disorder on the basis of first-rank symptoms weighted in terms of outcome.
abstract: Most recent research has failed to demonstrate that first-rank symptoms (FRS), globally or individually, have any ability to predict outcome. yet, some findings have suggested that misidentification of person (Personenverkennung) and/or thought insertion and/or made impulses on the one hand, and voices commenting on the other, might be associated with a good and a poor prognosis, respectively, in schizophrenia. In the present study, FRS, weighted with respect to prognosis on the basis of this hypothesis, were used to arbitrarily set up subsamples of RDC schizo-affective disorders in terms of several predicted outcome categories. However, no differences came to light between various RDC schizo-affective groupings defined in this way with respect to total outcome mean scores. In contrast, however, a significant difference on this prognostic measure was found when RDC schizo-affective probands with any type of FRS were compared with those lacking FRS, the latter group having the lower or better outcome score.
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis