The post-acute functioning of the schizophrenic.

Assessed 44 chronic schizophrenic and 38 chronic nonschizophrenic patients recently discharged from psychiatric hospitals; symptoms as well as social and vocational functioning were evaluated. Results indicated that the recently discharged schizophrenics suffered more from social and vocational dysfunction than acute symptom distress. Furthermore, "neurotic-like" symptoms appeared to be more generally characteristic of this post-acute phase than psychotic symptoms. The nonschizophrenic sample differed in no significant respect from the schizophrenic group. Results were interpreted to support the concept of multidimensional outcome for schizophrenic psychopathology and to suggest that chronicity may be a syndrome in itself, characterized by performance deficit and neurotic-like symptoms, which transcends traditional diagnostic categories.