Frequency of occurrence of Schneider's first rank symptoms in Schizophrenia.

We investigated the frequency of first rank symptoms (FRS) among patients hospitalised for schizophrenia for the first time in their life. The diagnosis was made in a Schneider oriented psychiatric hospital; 47% of the patients showed FRS. The frequency of FRS depends on the age and sex of the patient and on the existence of somatic findings but is independent of the level of their intellectual capacity or of the duration of the observation time.