Do patients with schizophrenia ever show periods of recovery? A 15-year multi-follow-up study

Abstract

Contrary to older views, with modern treatment some or many patients with schizophrenia may show intervals of recovery. The current 15-year prospectively designed follow-up research comparing schizophrenia patients with other types of psychotic and nonpsychotic patients studied how many schizophrenia patients ever show intervals of recovery. Two hundred seventy-four early young psychiatric patients from the Chicago Followup Study, including 64 schizophrenia patients, 12 schizophreniform patients, 81 other psychotic patients, and 117 nonpsychotic patients, were assessed as inpatients and then reassessed 5 times over 15 years. Patients were evaluated for recovery for 1 or more years using an operational definition of recovery. Cumulatively, over the 15-year period slightly over 40% of patients with schizophrenia showed 1 or more periods of recovery. However, schizophrenia is still a relatively poor outcome disorder, showing poorer courses than other types of psychotic and nonpsychotic disorders (p < .001). Most schizophrenia patients did not show the severe social isolation often described prior to the modern treatment era. Schizophreniform patients tended to show more favorable outcomes than schizophrenia patients. Over 50% of the schizophrenia patients did not have a disorder that was chronic and continuous. Rather, their disorder was episodic, although for many more vulnerable and less resilient schizophrenia patients the episodes were more frequent and severe, with slower recovery.