Assessment of clinical status of schizophrenic patients by the WAIS comprehension subtest.

A previous study indicated that the Comprehension subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) might be a sensitive instrument for evaluating mental status in schizophrenic patients. To test this hypothesis, 3 groups of subjects were given the WAIS Comprehension subtest repeatedly at brief intervals. The results indicate that for a given individual (normal control or stable chronic schizophrenic), scores do not increase even with 4 consecutive weeks of testing. In contrast, a group of schizophrenic patients tested shortly after readmission and again after being established on neuroleptic medication showed a marked improvement in scores which, somewhat surprisingly, were not correlated with changes in global ratings of disordered thinking by the treating psychiatrist. This standardized test may offer a convenient objective technique for quantifying some aspects of thinking in schizophrenic patients.