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Definitions of schizophrenia: concordance and prediction of outcome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

I. F. Brockington ,
R. E. Kendell  and
J. P. Leff
I. F. Brockington*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
R. E. Kendell
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
J. P. Leff
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr I. F. Brockington, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester M20 8LR.
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Synopsis

The study reports a comparison of 10 definitions of schizophrenia (Feighner's, Taylor's, Schneider's, Langfeldt's, Spitzer's, Carpenter's, Astrachan's, 2 from Forrest & Hay and Catego) in respect of their reliability, concordance and prediction of outcome. Some (including Feighner's) proved too strict, and others (including Schneider's) were weak predictors of clinical and social state. Four definitions (Spitzer's, Langfeldt's, Carpenter's and Catego) emerged as relatively effective and these also had a somewhat more satisfactory mutual concordance.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , August 1978 , pp. 387 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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