Psychosocial Correlates of Duration of Untreated Psychosis in the First-Episode Schizophrenia

Park, Seon Cheol; Kim, Daeho; Nam, Jung Hyun; Lee, Haewon

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study investigated the psychosocial factors and clinical symptoms related to the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in 35 consecutive first-episode inpatients with schizophrenia.
METHODS
Data from 35 schizophrenic patients were obtained from two general psychiatric inpatient units at a university medical center. These data included scores from Index of Social Position (ISP), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) as well as socio-demographic informations.
RESULTS
Among socio-demographic variables, lower social position (r=.610, p<.001), male sex (r=.407, p=.015), and grew up in rural area (r=.335, p=.045) were significantly correlated with DUP. The interpersonal sensitivity of SCL-90-R was the only symptomatic variable significantly correlated with DUP (r=.379, p=.027). However, after controlling interactive effects of the variables, only lower social position and interpersonal sensitivity remained significant. Lower social position was more influential on DUP than interpersonal sensitivity in the multiple regression model.
CONCLUSION
Both social and symptomatic factors independently influenced DUP in schizophrenic patients. Lower social position defined by education and occupation of patients or caretakers may reflect barriers to psychiatric services or poor identification of mental illness. This together with patients' subjective distress in interpersonal interactions may delay the intervention of psychiatric services.