EROTOMANIC SYMPTOMS IN 42 CHINESE SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

Background. Reports on erotomania frequently include schizophrenic pat ients with secondary erotomania, but there are no reports on the preva lence and characteristics of erotomanic symptoms in schizophrenic pati ents. Method. A structured item on erotomanic delusions was added to t he Chinese version of the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms an d administered to 448 randomly selected schizophrenic patients on admi ssion to four psychiatric hospitals in China. Results. Erotomanic symp toms were identified in 9.4% of the patients (42/448; 95% Cl 6.9-12.4% ); 4.5% (20/448; Cl 2.8-6.8%) had erotomanic ideation and 4.9% (22/448 ; Cl 3.1-7.4%) had fixed erotomanic delusions. Compared with patients without erotomanic symptoms, erotomanic patients were more likely to b e male and unmarried, and they had a higher level of education, more s evere grandiose delusions, more prominent hostility, and less severe n egative symptoms. Conclusion. The relatively common occurrence of erot omanic symptoms in Chinese schizophrenic patients may be related to th e indirect manner of expressing sexual interest in Chinese culture and , thus, be an example of the cultural moulding of psychiatric symptoms .