Childhood-onset schizotypal disorder: a follow-up study and comparison with childhood-onset schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
This paper presents results from the UCLA Follow-Up Study of Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia (SZ) Spectrum Disorders.


METHODS
We assessed 12 children with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and 18 children with schizophrenia 1-7 years following initial project intake.


RESULTS
There was significant continuity between SZ spectrum disorders in childhood and adolescence. Although not all children who presented initially with SZ spectrum disorders continued to meet criteria for SZ spectrum disorder as they progressed through the follow-up period, rates of SZ spectrum disorders ranged from 75% to 92% across the 3 follow-up years for children initially presenting with SPD, and from 78% to 89% for children initially presenting with SZ.


CONCLUSIONS
The most common clinical outcome for children with SPD was continuing SPD, supporting the hypothesis of continuity between childhood and later SPD. However, 25% of the SPD sample developed more severe SZ spectrum disorders (schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder), also supporting the hypothesis that SPD represents a risk or precursor state for more severe SZ spectrum disorders.
Asarnow
Joan Rosenbaum
JR
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. JAsarnow@mednet.ucla.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012561:Schizophrenia, Childhood / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome