Vocational functioning in schizotypal and paranoid personality disorders.
Impaired vocational functioning is a hallmark of schizophrenia, but limited research has evaluated the relationships between work and schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorders, including schizotypal (SPD) and paranoid personality disorder (PPD). This study compared employment history and job characteristics of 174 individuals drawn from the community or clinic, based on four personality disorder groups: SPD Only, PPD Only, SPD+PPD, and No SPD or PPD. Symptoms and cognitive functioning were also assessed. Both PPD and/or SPD were associated with lower rates of current employment, and a history of having worked at less cognitively complex jobs than people without these disorders. Participants with PPD were less likely to have a history of competitive work for one year, whereas those with SPD tended to have worked at jobs involving lower levels of social contact, compared with those without these disorders. When the effects of symptoms and cognitive functioning were statistically controlled, PPD remained a significant predictor of work history, and SPD remained a significant predictor of social contact on the job. The findings suggest that impaired vocational functioning is an important characteristic of SPD and PPD.
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Departments of Occupational Therapy, Psychology, and Psychiatry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: mcgurk@bu.edu.
Susan R
SR
McGurk
Kim T
KT
Mueser
Rebecca
R
Mischel
Rebecca
R
Adams
Philip D
PD
Harvey
Margaret M
MM
McClure
Amy E
AE
Look
Winnie W
WW
Leung
Larry J
LJ
Siever
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009518:New York; D010260:Paranoid Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011599:Psychopathology; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Cognitive functioning; Employment; Paranoid personality disorder; Schizophrenia-spectrum; Schizotypal personality disorder; Social functioning; Work