ANALYSIS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - A STUDYFROM A POPULATION OF LONG-TERM OUTPATIENTS

Sixty-seven schizophrenic chronic outpatients (DSM-III-R criteria) wer e examined to study the relationship between symptoms through intercor relational and factor analysis. Three factors were identified and asso ciated with clusters of symptoms: factor 1 (affective flattening, alog ia, avolition-apathy and anhedonia-asociality), factor 2 (formal thoug ht disorder and bizarre behaviour) and factor 3 (hallucinations and de lusions). Strong associations between factor 1 and high functional imp airment were found. In this population, the segregation of the symptom s could fit into a three-syndrome model, these results agree with find ings obtained from samples in which acute symptoms predominated.