Schizophrenia and functional status

Abstract

Bipolar disorder has been defined as a chronic, incapacitating condition that accounts for major functional impairment worldwide. However, we feel that it is important to remind our readers that major functional impairment is also present in schizophrenia, although it is rarely measured in a standardized way in these patients. The Schizophrenia and Dementia Program at Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre is currently analyzing the psychometric properties of the Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST), using a sample of approximately 100 patients with schizophrenia and 100 paired controls, with a focus on producing a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of functional status in schizophrenia. As a preliminary finding, we would like to describe the case of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia 9 years before the beginning of the present investigation, disease onset at 16 years of age, under treatment with clozapine (300 mg/day) for 3 years. Results show the applicability and usefulness of the FAST scale in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, as well as a clear difference in the assessment of healthy controls of similar age, ethnic origin, and education level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)