Adaptation of Patients with Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Disorder with Hypochondriac Symptomatology

Abstract

Introduction

Hypochondriac symptomatology in structure of schizophrenic spectrum disorders is form of mental pathology which threatens with serious social consequences for personality.

Objective

study of adaptive abilities and quality of life of patients suffering from schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder with hypochondriac symptomatology depending on clinical-dynamic features of course of the disease and constitution-morphologic characteristics.

Methods

clinical-psychopathological, clinical-dynamic, clinical-follow-up, therapeutic, anthropometric and statistical methods.

Results

Hypochondriac symptomatology affects clinical components of adaptation (at the moment of examination in basic group 50,0% of patients were disabled persons with mental disease, and in comparison group – 32,0%; p<0.05) and social adaptation of patients (in the process of disease social status decreased in 53,3% of patients of basic group, in comparison group – in 36,0%; p<0.05). In basic group more often than in comparison group there were persons with introvert type of adaptation (40,0% and 24,0%, respectively; p<0.05) and with individual compensatory-adaptive defense like 'ecological niche” (30,0% and 8,0%, respectively; p<0.01). During investigation of socially-oriented internal adaptive reactions it was revealed that basic group and comparison group had statistically significant differences regarding number of patients with plastic type (0% and 18,0%, respectively; p<0.001), exaggerated type (68,3% and 46,0%, respectively; p<0.01) and with ignoring type of reaction (5,0% and 16,0%, respectively; p<0.05).

Conclusions

Hypochondriac symptomatology affects clinical and social adaptation preventing from appearance of socially-oriented internal adaptive reactions and promoting more 'immature” compensatory-adaptive defenses and adverse types of adaptation in patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders.