THE SOCIAL NETWORK OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER AS COMPARED TO PATIENTS WITH DIABETES AND TO HEALTHY-INDIVIDUALS

The social network was evaluated by means of the self-rating scale 'In terview Schedule for Social Interaction' (ISSI) and semi-structured in terviews in married patients with a DSM-III diagnosis of schizoaffecti ve disorder (N = 17, partners, N = 16), married patients with diabetes (N = 10, partners, N = 10) and in married healthy individuals (N = 8, partners, N = 8). The two latter groups were comparison control group s matched for sex and age to the patients with a schizoaffective disor der. The scores on the ISSI and its subscales for the groups were comp atible to those found in other Swedish studies. Patients with a schizo affective disorder both experienced that they had less access to (AVAT ) and were less satisfied with their deep emotional relations (ADAT). The same patients had a higher level of neuroticism as compared to the rest. The patients with a schizoaffective disorder had less often tha n the patients with diabetes been informed about their disease. Moreov er, the partners to the patients with a schizoaffective disorder had n ot been informed about the disease and experienced that they had fewer social contacts (AVSI). A challenge for the professional network in p sychiatry is to improve the information and education to families in w hich one member is struck by a schizoaffective disorder.