Pretreatment social functioning predicts 1-year outcome in early onset psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the association of pretreatment social functioning (12 months before initial presentation) with symptom dimensions and social functioning at 1-year follow-up.


METHODS
Fifty-six adolescents, age 14-18, first admitted for early onset psychosis, were evaluated at baseline and 1-year follow-up assessing psychopathology (PANSS), social functioning (Strauss and Carpenter Prognostic Scale), and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP).


RESULTS
Adolescents with low pretreatment social functioning were at risk of more severe negative symptoms and lower social functioning at follow-up. Negative symptoms at baseline were less predictive and DUP was not predictive in this sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study suggest a strong longitudinal inter-relatedness between social functioning and negative symptoms in this age group. An integrative treatment approach including family interventions, social skills training, long-term specialized work/school rehabilitation, and adequate antipsychotic treatment is warranted to improve both, social functioning and negative symptoms.
Meng
H
H
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Schimmelmann
B G
BG
Mohler
B
B
Lambert
M
M
Branik
E
E
Koch
E
E
Karle
M
M
Strauss
M
M
Preuss
U
U
Amsler
F
F
Riedesser
P
P
Resch
F
F
Bürgin
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome