Childhood emotional expressions, educational attainment, and age at onset of illness in schizophrenia.
This study examined the relation between preschizophrenic subjects' facial expressions of emotion in childhood home movies and two criterion variables: educational level (highest grade completed) and age at onset of illness. Earlier research suggest that premorbid affective blunting is associated with an earlier onset of illness and poorer prognosis in schizophrenia. It was, therefore, predicted that lower rates of both positive and negative facial expressions would be associated with lower levels of educational attainment and earlier age at onset of illness. The results indicated that childhood emotional expressions were not associated with educational level but were linked with age at onset. Preschizophrenic subjects who showed lower rates of negative emotion during late childhood/adolescence were younger at illness onset. Findings are discussed in light of previous reports linking affective symptoms with better prognosis in schizophrenia.
Grimes
K
K
Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
Walker
E F
EF
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors