Schizophrenic delusions: the detection of warning signals.
Schizophrenic delusions are important target symptoms for treatment. This study aims to identify predictors of delusion formation. Two samples of schizophrenic patients (total n = 131) are examined prospectively every second week during a period of 6 months. In one sample (n = 60) delusion formation (n = 27; 45%) is correlated significantly with a change in score of eight individual items from the Early Signs Scale (ESS): sleep, anxiety, concentration, irritability, coping, tiredness, depression and confusion. These eight items form the Warning Signals Scale (WSS). The predictive validity of the scale is tested in another sample (n = 71), of which 43 patients (61%) have reemergence of delusions. A criterion cut-off score of > or = 5 points combines an acceptable sensitivity (77%) and specificity (68%). The scale is acceptable to patients, manageable for clinicians, and it has a high degree of predictive validity and reliability. This makes it relevant for implementation in ordinary clinical practice.
OPUS, Psychiatric Hospital in Aarhus, Risskov, Denmark.
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Jørgensen
D000328:Adult; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology