The Clinical Characteristics and Intelligence in the Adjustment of Schizophrenic Patients

Oh, Ki Moh; Lee, Kuy Haeng

Abstract

We investigated the clinical characteristics and intelligence in the adjustment of schizophrenic patients. One hundred thirty-nine schizophrenic patients were selected among the schizophrenic patients admitted to the department of neuropsychiatry, Wonkwang University, school of medicine, from January 1, 1993 to November 30, 1996. The selected schizophrenic patients were divided into two groups, the one with over 60 of past year highest global assessment of functioning(PHF)(superior group) and the other with less than 60 of PHF(inferior group). Both groups were compared in clinical characteristics and Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS) results at admission. The results were as follows : 1) The superior group showed significantly longer duration of education(11.9+/-2.9, 9.9+/-3.7, p<.01), shorter duration of illness(49.6+/-57.9, 93.9+/-70.3, p<.01), less admissions(1.9+/-1.3, 2.8+/-2.1, p<.01), less negative symptoms(3.2+/-1.4, 3.8+/-1.3, p<.01) than the inferior group. 2) The superior group showed significantly higher scores on verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ ; 90.5+/-14.5, 82.4+/-17.4, p<.01), performance intelligence quotient(PIQ ; 81.4+/-13.5, 73.2+/-14.2, p<.01), full scale intelligence quotient(FSIQ ; 86.2+/-13.3, 78.0+/-14.9, P<.01), the subtests of vocabulary(9.2+/-3.0, 7.6+/-3.6, p<.01), comprehension(9.2+/-3.1, 7.5+/-3.4, p<.01), similarity(8.6+/-2.6, 7.4+/-3.3, p<.05), digit symbol(8.3+/-1.8, 7.3+/-2.5, p<.01), object assembly(7.6+/-2.5, 6.6+/-2.3, p<.05), block design(7.9+/-2.6, 6.8+/-2.0, p<.05), and picture completion(7.9+/-2.2, 7.0+/-2.1, p<.05) than the inferior group. Finally, the patients with better adjustment showed higher education level, shorter duration of illness, less numbers of admission, less negative symptoms, and higher scores on VIQ, PIQ, FSIQ, and subtests of vocabulary, comprehension, similarity, digit symbol, object assembly, block design, picture completion. It seems that the superior group had better at the more complex function in the verbal intelligence and the ability of space in the performance intelligence than the inferior group.