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PubMed2004

The effect of equipment usage and residual task difficulty on use of personal assistance, days in bed, and nursing home placement.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether residual difficulty in functioning in spite of equipment use is linked with increased use of personal assistance. DESIGN: Longitudinal. Two waves of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) database were used to test the effect of residual difficulty on hours of personal assistance and bed days at Wave 1 on hours of personal assistance, bed days, and nursing home placement at Waves 1 and 2. SETTING: A nationally representative setting of community-dwelling persons aged 70 and older and their spouses, regardless of age at Wave 1 AHEAD. There was movement of some respondents into nursing homes by the Wave 2 interview. PARTICIPANTS: Respondents to the AHEAD survey, N=8,222 at Wave 1. MEASUREMENTS: The dependent variables were hours of personal assistance in the month before the AHEAD survey (Waves 1 and 2), number of days in month before the survey in which the person did not get out of bed (Waves 1 and 2), and residence in a nursing home at Wave 2. The key explanatory variable was a mutually exclusive (four category) variable that specified whether there was residual difficulty (yes/no) in indoor mobility in spite of using equipment to aid specifically with indoor mobility. The four-category variable was defined by the four categories created by a cross-tabulation of equipment use (yes/no) and difficulty with indoor mobility (yes/no). A similar four-category variable was also defined for transferring in the home. RESULTS: In cross section, equipment users with residual difficulty reported more hours of personal assistance in the case of indoor mobility impairment and were more likely to have some hours of personal assistance than those without residual difficulty with indoor mobility and transferring. Longitudinally, those with residual difficulty at Wave 1 were more likely to need some personal assistance hours at Wave 2 (odds ratio=1.67, 95% confidence interval= 1.23-2.26 for indoor mobility). For transferring, those with residual difficulty had 43 more hours of personal assistance per month (P=.001) than those for whom equipment resolved their disability. Residual disability was linked to more bed days for users of indoor mobility and transferring equipment, but it was not predictive of nursing home placement by Wave 2. CONCLUSION: Equipment for indoor mobility or transfers apparently resolves difficulty for some users of the equipment but not for others. Residual task difficulty in spite of equipment for indoor mobility and transferring is linked with worse outcomes, including increased dependency on personal assistance and more days in bed. This shows that more attention is needed to determine whether equipment prescribed is appropriate for a patient's difficulty and that follow-up assessment is crucial after equipment is prescribed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

Personal exposures to particles and microbes in relation to microenvironmental concentrations.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to compare the personal exposures of particles and microbes with the exposure being assessed by stationary samplers in the main microenvironments, i.e. home and the workplace. A random sample of 81 elementary school teachers in eastern Finland were selected to perform the two wintertime 24-h measurement periods. Particle mass concentration, black smoke (BS) concentration and concentrations of viable and total microorganisms on the sampled filters were determined using personal exposure sampling and microenvironmental measurements in homes and workplaces. In this paper, the correlations between different pollutants in each environment and correlations between personal exposures and home and work concentrations are presented. The results show that personal BS exposures correlated with both home and work BS concentrations. Furthermore, the concentrations of viable fungi and bacteria were related between personal and home concentrations. The time weighted microenvironmental model underestimated the personal exposures of particle mass, viable fungi, total fungi and total bacteria concentrations but the model might satisfactorily assess personal exposure to concentrations of BS and viable bacteria. The mass concentration of total fungi and bacteria was <1% of the total particle mass concentration. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Stationary samples are only surrogate measures of personal exposures. Personal exposure measurements conducted on individuals' breathing zone are needed to assess the exposure to particles and microbes. The time weighted microenvironmental model is a useful method to assess personal exposure to combustion related particles and viable bacteria concentrations but the model underestimates personal exposures of particle mass, viable fungi, total fungi and total bacteria concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

West Nile virus serosurvey and assessment of personal prevention efforts in an area with intense epizootic activity: Connecticut, 2000.

West Nile virus (WNV) can cause large outbreaks of febrile illness and severe neurologic disease. This study estimates the seroprevalence of WNV infection and assesses risk perception and practices regarding potential exposures to mosquitoes of persons in an area with intense epizootics in 1999 and 2000. A serosurvey of persons aged > or = 12 years was conducted in southwestern Connecticut during October 10-15, 2000, using household-based stratified cluster sampling. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding concern for and personal measures taken with respect to WNV and provided a blood sample for WNV testing. Seven hundred thirty persons from 645 households participated. No person tested positive for WNV (95% CI: 0-0.5%). Overall, 44% of persons used mosquito repellent, 56% practiced > or = two personal precautions to avoid mosquitoes, and 61% of households did > or = two mosquito-source reduction activities. In multivariate analyses, using mosquito repellent was associated with age < 50 years, using English as the primary language in the home, being worried about WNV, being a little worried about pesticides, and finding mosquitoes frequently in the home (P<0.05). Females (OR = 2.0; CI = 1.2-2.9) and persons very worried about WNV (OR = 3.8; CI = 2.2-6.5) were more likely to practice > or = two personal precautions. Taking > or = two mosquito source reductions was associated with persons with English as the primary language (OR = 2.0; CI = 1.1-3.5) and finding a dead bird on the property (OR = 1.8; CI = 1.1-2.8). An intense epizootic can occur in an area without having a high risk for infection to humans. A better understanding of why certain people do not take personal protective measures, especially among those aged > or = 50 years and those whose primary language is not English, might be needed if educational campaigns are to prevent future WNV outbreaks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Hospitalization for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus among Indian-born persons: a small area analysis.

BACKGROUND: We set out to describe the risk of hospitalization from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes among persons born in India, all foreign-born persons, and U.S.-born persons residing in New York City. METHODS: We examined billing records of 1,083,817 persons hospitalized in New York City during the year 2000. The zip code of each patient's residence was linked to corresponding data from the 2000 U.S. Census to obtain covariates not present in the billing records. Using logistic models, we evaluated the risk of hospitalization for heart disease, stroke and diabetes by country of origin. RESULTS: After controlling for covariates, Indian-born persons are at similar risk of hospitalization for heart disease (RR = 1.02, 95% confidence interval 1.02, 1.03), stroke (RR = 1.00, 95% confidence interval, 0.99, 1.01), and diabetes mellitus (RR = 0.96 95% confidence interval 0.94, 0.97) as native-born persons. However, Indian-born persons are more likely to be hospitalized for these diseases than other foreign-born persons. For instance, the risk of hospitalization for heart disease among foreign-born persons is 0.70 (95% confidence interval 0.67, 0.72) and the risk of hospitalization for diabetes is 0.39 (95% confidence interval 0.37, 0.42) relative to native-born persons. CONCLUSIONS: South Asians have considerably lower rates of hospitalization in New York than reported in countries with national health systems. Access may play a role. Clinicians working in immigrant settings should nonetheless maintain a higher vigilance for these conditions among Indian-born persons than among other foreign-born populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Studies on thermoregulative performance of disabled persons with congenital maldevelopment of the limbs and acquired loss of limbs during defined physical work and passive heat load (author's transl)].

Comparative studies were conducted in 20 persons without hands (amputated a long time ago) and in fifteen juveniles (12--15 years) with dysemlia (phocomelia or ectromelia), tested in each case against groups of non-disabled persons of corresponding age. All persons under examination had to perform the same, graded treadmill work under thermoconstant condition (30 degrees C, 45% rel. humidity). These tests pointed towards the existence of a particularly economic mode of thermoregulation in persons with dysmelia obviously involving adaptive processes of energy metabolism as well, whereas such adaptation does not take place--not even in the course of many years--in disabled persons with acquired loss of limbs. The persons with congenital dysmelia showed lower temperatures of the interior of the body, less sweat loss, and on the average a lower uptake of oxygen than non-disabled persons of the same age, whereas higher temperatures of the interior of the body, greater sweat loss, and a higher oxygen uptake were measured in the persons whose arms had been amputated a long time ago (ie persons without hands). Under passive heat load (40 degrees C, 30 min.) the amputated persons showed a corresponding thermoregulative performance as during physical work, in comparison to the non-disabled persons.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1996

Health care utilization and outcomes among persons with rheumatoid arthritis in fee-for-service and prepaid group practice settings.

OBJECTIVE: To compare health care utilization and outcomes over an 11-year period among persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in fee-for-service and prepaid group practice settings. DESIGN: Cohort of persons with RA followed up for as long as 11 years. The principal measures were obtained from an annual structured telephone interview conducted by a trained survey worker. SETTING: Persons with RA presenting to a random sample of community rheumatologists in northern California. PATIENTS: Patients were enrolled in 2 cycles: in 1982 and 1983 and in 1989. Study rheumatologists listed all persons meeting criteria for RA presenting to their offices over a 1-month period. Of the 1062 so listed, we enrolled 1025, or 96.5%. Of the 1025 persons with RA, 227 (22.2%) reported receiving care in prepaid group practice settings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: As of the end of 1994, 5295 person-years of observation were available for the analysis of the annual level of the utilization and outcome measures; 341 persons had been followed up for all 11 years of the study. The main utilization outcomes measured included office visits, outpatient surgeries, hospital admissions, and painful joints. RESULTS: The persons with RA in fee-for-service and prepaid group practice settings did not differ in the quantity of health care used in any 1 year for either RA or non-RA reasons. Among those followed up for all 11 years, the persons in fee-for-service and prepaid group practice settings did not differ in the cumulative quantity of health care used over the entire period of study. The 2 groups did not differ on any outcome measure on either an annual or long-term basis. The results of mortality analyses were inconsistent: using Kaplan-Meier estimates, the persons with RA in prepaid group practice settings survived significantly longer (P<.05 by long-rank test); using Cox proportional hazards methods, the proportion dying each year did not differ signficantly. CONCLUSIONS: We could find no evidence that persons with RA in fee-for-service and prepaid group practice settings received different quantities of health care or experienced different outcomes on either an annual or long-term basis.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Treatment of obesity by personality classification-oriented program.

It is apparent that personality is related to the pathogenesis of obesity, and that understanding the personality of the patient may be a key to successful treatment of the disease. Using the Rorschach test and interviews by a psychiatrist, the types of personality were classified into four groups according to the healthiness of personalities. The judgment of healthiness was based mainly on the scores obtained from the Rorschach test. This classification revealed that the occurrence of mental and physical symptoms during therapy with a very low calorie diet (VLCD) and subsequent rebound of bodyweight were more frequently observed in patients with relatively less healthy personalities. We used this classification to adapt our program to treat obese patients. In this program, severe diet restrictions were applied to patients with relatively healthy personalities. These restrictions were applied with modifications to patients with less healthy personality, because severe restrictions would be possibly very stressful for them and would bring about an undesirable reaction. For strengthening the patients' motivation for therapy, the significance of body weight reduction was explained in different ways to patients with different types of personality. The target of bodyweight reduction, reward for patients with successful weight reduction, and the duration of therapy were set up differently for patients with different personalities types. The results showed that bodyweight rebound one or two years after treatment was reduced with the personality-oriented therapy program compared to that observed with the previous conventional therapies. Also, the incidence of psychological problems was remarkably decreased.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Selective alteration of personality in response to noradrenergic and serotonergic antidepressant medication in depressed sample: evidence of non-specificity.

Recent investigations suggest that serotonergic mechanisms modulate dimensions of personality, in particular decreases in Anger-Hostility and increases in Affiliation. None of these studies, however, demonstrated a specific serotonergic effect on personality, as other neurotransmitter systems have not been assessed for their impact on these personality dimensions. In this study, 76 depressed outpatients were treated with either the noradrenergic antidepressant desipramine (n = 38) or a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (paroxetine or sertraline) (n = 38) over a period of 8-14 weeks. Personality scores were measured pre- and post-treatment using the revised NEO Personality Inventory, which measures five basic dimensions of personality, with subscales assessing Anger-Hostility and Affiliation (Gregariousness). There was a significant decrease in Neuroticism and Anger-Hostility, and a significant increase in Extraversion and Gregariousness following antidepressant treatment. Although changes in neuroticism and extraversion were significantly correlated with change in depression severity, Anger-Hostility and Gregariousness personality scores were not. Therefore, changes in these personality traits were not attributable to a non-specific effect of medication on changes in depression severity. There were no significant differences in personality change scores between the antidepressant treatment groups. Thus, while antidepressants may have a direct effect on neurochemical pathways relevant to personality, independent of changes in depression severity, these effects cannot be directly or specifically attributed to a serotonergic mechanism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Do illness characteristics and familial risk differ between women with anorexia nervosa grouped on the basis of personality pathology?

BACKGROUND: In view of the potential utility of personality-based groupings in eating disorders (EDs), and the lack of studies using this approach in large samples of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), this study set out to examine (i) the nature of personality-based clusters of women with lifetime AN and (ii) if these clusters are associated with either clinical symptoms or aetiological variables. METHOD: The self-report Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP) was completed by 153 women with a lifetime diagnosis of DSM-IV AN. A cluster analysis was used to identify personality-based subgroups. Clusters were then compared on clinical and aetiological variables. RESULTS: Three personality-based clusters were identified, defined by broad, avoidant and compulsive types of personality pathology. Dimensions of low dissocial behaviour, high inhibition and high compulsivity were common to all clusters, while dimensions related to emotional dysregulation appeared more heterogeneous. Clinical symptoms were not related to personality profile with the exception of a trend towards more fasting behaviour in the broad group. The compulsive cluster with the narrowest range of extreme personality traits reported the highest familial risk of eating pathology. CONCLUSIONS: The three clusters identified in our AN sample were similar to those previously identified in broader eating disordered samples. Personality-based clusters did not correspond overall to clinical symptoms but aetiological differences supported their validity. Broader personality pathology indicative of emotional dysregulation, problems with identity and relationships, in addition to core traits, may increase vulnerability to AN in those with less familial risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Cluster B personality disorders are associated with allelic variation of monoamine oxidase A activity.

Genetic variants of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) have been associated with aggression-, anxiety-, and addiction-related behavior in several nonclinical and clinical populations. Here, we investigated the influence of allelic variation of MAOA activity on aggression-related personality traits and disease risk in patients with personality disorders. Personality disorders were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV and were allocated to cluster A, B, and C. Personality features were assessed by the revised NEO Personality Inventory and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The genotype of the MAOA gene-linked polymorphic region (MAOA-LPR) was determined in 566 patients with personality disorders and in 281 healthy controls. MAOA genotype was significantly associated with cluster B personality disorders (chi2=7.77, p=0.005, df=1) but not with cluster C personality disorders. In total, 26.0% of cluster B patients were hemi- or homozygous for the low-activity variant of the MAOA genotype, compared to 16.4% in the control group. Associations between MAOA variants and personality domains related to impulsivity and aggressiveness were inconsistent. Our findings further support the notion that allelic variation of MAOA activity contributes modestly to the balance of hyper- (impulsive-aggressive) and hyporeactive (anxious-depressive) traits.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Personality disorders and traits in patients with body dysmorphic disorder.

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have been postulated to have schizoid, narcissistic, and obsessional personality traits and to be sensitive, introverted, perfectionistic, and insecure. However, data on personality traits and disorders in BDD are limited. This study assessed 148 subjects with BDD, 26 of whom participated in a fluvoxamine treatment study; 74 subjects were assessed for personality disorders with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSMIII-R Personality Disorders (SCID-II), 100 subjects completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and 51 subjects completed the Rathus Assertiveness Scale. Forty-two subjects (57%) had one or more personality disorders, with avoidant personality disorder (43%) being most common, followed by dependent (15%), obsessive-compulsive (14%), and paranoid (14%) personality disorders. On the NEO-FFI, the mean scores were in the very high range for neuroticism, the low range for extraversion and conscientiousness, the low-average range for agreeableness, and the average range for openness to experience. On the Rathus Assertiveness Scale, the mean score was -17.1 +/- 32.0 for women and -17.0 +/- 32.3 for men. Among fluvoxamine responders, the number of personality disorders significantly decreased between the study baseline and endpoint. These findings suggest that the rate of personality disorders in BDD is relatively high, with avoidant personality disorder being most common. The high neuroticism scores and low extraversion scores are consistent with this finding.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Quality of life in children surviving cancer: a personality and multi-informant perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To describe quality of life (QoL) of children surviving cancer in relation to their personality, using self- and maternal reports and examining differences with healthy referents. METHOD: Sixty-seven children who survived childhood cancer were compared with eighty-one healthy children on QoL and personality characteristics. RESULTS: Children who survived cancer reported higher QoL than healthy children, whereas there were no differences for personality. Two main effects emerged for informant with children rating themselves as less neurotic and more conscientious than their mothers. The correspondence between mothers and children was substantially higher for survivors for QoL and personality ratings. QoL and trait measures share substantial variance, and personality traits significantly predict QoL. Parental personality ratings explained child QoL beyond children's personality ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Personality traits contribute to quality of life, indicating that personality significantly influences child's quality of life beyond the experience of a negative life event such as surviving cancer and its treatment. From a diagnostic perspective, parental trait ratings are informative in addition to children's ratings of personality to understand children's QoL.

Child↗
PubMed1987

Personality and health in the 1980s: psychosomatic medicine revisited?

This special issue is a sign of a resurgence of interest in the role of personality in health not seen since the 1940s and early 1950s when the promises of the psychosomatic approach to health and illness appeared to be the greatest. This new look at personality and health represented by contributions to this special issue attempts to address the limitations of earlier work in psychosomatic medicine by making more explicit efforts to define personality variables precisely, to distinguish these variables from conceptually related psychological constructs, and to embed them in a body of theory and empirical research. This new work also attempts to remedy methodological limitations of earlier work by placing greater emphasis on prospective research and highlighting distinctions between symptom reports, illness behavior, and actual illness. However, the new work and earlier work in psychosomatic medicine share certain working assumptions, for example, a primary emphasis on the relatively direct impact of personality on disease onset, an assumption that personality variables operate in interaction with stressful events, and a frequent emphasis on general susceptibility to disease. Moreover, this new work frequently risks the same methodological pitfalls that limited scientific progress in psychosomatic medicine. We argue that the rapid rise and decline of psychosomatic medicine is most likely to be repeated in research on personality and health in the 1980s if reasonable criteria for considering personality variables a risk factor for disease are not precisely defined, disease endpoints (the dependent variable) are not assessed precisely, personality variables of interest (the independent variable) are not empirically distinguished from other related psychological variables, and complex relationships among risk factors are not taken into account. It is emphasized that models drawn from personality research cannot be transferred unchanged to the health arena without risking false inferences about the role of personality in health.

Arousal↗
PubMed1988

Narcissism and the use of personal pronouns.

In this study we explored the relationship between narcissism and the individual's use of personal pronouns during extemporaneous monologues. The subjects, 24 males and 24 females, were asked to talk for approximately 5 minutes on any topic they chose. Following the monologues the subjects were administered the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. The monologues were tape-recorded and later transcribed and analyzed for the subjects' use of personal pronouns. As hypothesized, individuals who scored higher on narcissism tended to use more first person singular pronouns and fewer first person plural pronouns. Discriminant validity for the relationship between narcissism and first person pronoun usage was exhibited in that narcissism did not show a relationship with subjects' use of second and third person pronouns, nor did the personality variables of extraversion, neuroticism, or locus of control exhibit any relationship with the subjects' personal pronoun usage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Predicting relapse to substance abuse as a function of personality dimensions.

The goal of the present study was to determine whether personality traits are related to return to heavy drinking or drug use following treatment for substance abuse. Personality characteristics of one hundred and eight patients residing on an inpatient substance abuse treatment program were assessed. Personality traits were examined using the 5-factor model of personality as measured by the NEO-Personality Inventory. These patients were then followed for 1 year after discharge from the treatment program. These substance abuse patients scored higher than the NEO-Personality Inventory normative sample on the personality domains of Neuroticism and Conscientiousness. A survival analysis showed that Neuroticism and Conscientiousness from the NEO-Personality Inventory were significant predictors of relapse. Odds ratios showed that the risk of relapsing was greatest for those patients who were both low in conscientiousness and high in neuroticism. The relevance of these two broad personality dimensions to the development and maintenance of addiction is discussed. Treatment implications for patients who possess these personality risk factors are outlined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Multidimensional assessment of personality in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) have evidence of maladaptive personality, and whether they have a single or several different typical pathological personality profiles. METHODS: Patients were recruited from the department of epileptology, Bonn, Germany. In all, 85 patients with PNES and 63 with epilepsy completed a postal questionnaire including the dimensional assessment of personality pathology - basic questionnaire (DAPP-BQ). The DAPP-BQ was also completed by 100 healthy volunteers. The groups were compared and the PNES group was subjected to cluster analysis. RESULTS: Patients with PNES had a greater degree of personality abnormality than clinical and non-clinical controls. There were several clusters of personality pathology. The profile of the largest cluster (n = 43) resembled that found in borderline personality disorder, that of the second largest (n = 37) was characterised by an overly controlled personality, that of the third (n = 4) was similar to the profile in avoidant personality disorder. Outcome differed between clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Maladaptive personality is common in patients with PNES. PNES are associated with several distinct profiles of pathological personality. This is relevant because outcome differed between profiles.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The relationship of psychological well-being to distress and personality.

BACKGROUND: The concept of psychological well-being has been neglected for a long time in scientific literature. Over the last decades, however, many psychometric instruments have been developed to measure it. The aim of the present study was to analyze the concept of psychological well-being and its relationship to distress and personality traits. It is clinically and empirically important to establish where the measures of well-being are located in relation to symptomatology indices and personality traits. METHODS: A sample of 450 subjects in the general population completed three self-rating scales for the assessment of symptomatology (Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire), psychological well-being (Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scales, PWB), and personality traits (Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire). The assessment was repeated after 1 month. Pearson's coefficient was used to analyze PWB test-retest reliability and correlations between well-being, distress and personality indicators. Exploratory factor analysis was performed for both assessments. RESULTS: Test-retest Pearson's coefficients were satisfactory for all six PWB scales. Exploratory factor analyses showed a 4- or 5-factor structure, where well-being, distress and personality remained separated. PWB scales were negatively and significantly correlated with all symptom scales, but only with one personality dimension, TPQ Harm Avoidance. Mean-level differences by gender showed that in general women significantly presented with lower levels of well-being (except in Positive Relations) and higher levels of distress and personality disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the relationship of well-being to distress and personality is complex. Psychological well-being could not be equated with the absence of symptomatology or with personality traits. PWB scales measure an attitude toward optimal functioning that is crucial for a comprehensive consideration of individuals in clinical settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

A comparative study of paranoid and schizoid personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Family studies have demonstrated a higher rate of schizoid personality in the families of probands with schizophrenia and a higher rate of paranoid personality in the families of probands with delusional disorder. The authors sought to investigate the familial characteristics of probands with schizoid and paranoid personality disorders and to delineate the clinical characteristics of the two groups. METHOD: Records of 351 inpatients with discharge diagnoses that included the term "schizoid personality" or "paranoid personality" were examined to identify patients who met DSM-III-R criteria for schizoid personality disorder (N = 34) or paranoid personality disorder (N = 19). Comparisons were made between the two groups with respect to clinical symptoms, familial characteristics, and longitudinal course. RESULTS: The authors found that probands with schizoid personality disorder were hospitalized at an earlier age than probands with paranoid personality disorder, had more intervention before the index admission, and had greater morbidity following the index admission. They also found that descriptors of the two syndromes tended to congregate in the respective family material, but the differences were not statistically significant. Differences in the familial prevalence of schizophrenia were also not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These familial data do not support the hypothesis that schizophrenia congregates in the families of probands with schizoid personality disorder. Possible explanations for this finding are discussed.

Adult↗