FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF 67 FIRST EPISODE SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES

We studied the characteristics of religious practice in a cohort of 67 first admission schizophrenic patients over 5 years. Thirty percent o f these patients were involved in religious activities, either with an established religion or in a marginal group. They were mostly women, who had a good premorbid psychosocial adaptation and tended not to be substance abusers. Their social adaptation was improved at year 5. The y were as compliant with their ambulatory treatment as the other patie nts. However, when controlling for the inclusion characteristics, a si milar outcome was shown between the group of practicing patients and t he nonpracticing group. Religious activity may not be by itself the ca use of this favorable outcome, as it is probable that only the patient s who are less symptomatic and relatively well adapted could actually join a religious movement. The fact that many schizophrenic patients f ind an occupation and relationships in religious activities that they would not find elsewhere should encourage the psychiatric community ta rget its occupational goals.