AN EMPIRICAL TYPOLOGY OF SERIOUSLY AND PERSISTENTLY MENTALLY-ILL PATIENTS USING SYMPTOM AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING FACTORS

This study generated an empirical, statistically based typology that u sed both symptom data and social functioning dimensions to define subt ypes of seriously mentally ill patients. The intent of using social fu nctioning information was to explore the degree to which it improves c linicians' understanding of and treatment planning for diverse subgrou ps of patients. Social functioning dimensions and symptom data collect ed on a group of SPMI (seriously and persistently mentally ill) patien ts were factor analyzed and then submitted to a cluster analysis that yielded five meaningful patient subtypes. Demonstrations of the useful ness of this classification included significant subgroup differences on clinically important external variables, including needs for specif ic types of treatment and service consumption. For comparison purposes , the failure of the DSM-III diagnostic classification to distinguish patients on the clinically relevant criteria also was demonstrated.