THE USE OF VIDEOTAPED ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO A STUDY OF ENHANCED MANAGEMENT IN TREATMENT-RESISTANT SCHIZOPHRENIA

Videotaped assessments of standardized interviews were used to ensure blindness in relation to a clinical trial of multifaceted programmes o f management in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The t echnique, although laborious, was feasible in all patients studied and offered advantages in relation not only to blindness but also to asse ssing the nature of psychopathological changes in patients with schizo phrenic deficit syndrome of severe degree. The method is likely to be useful in further studies assessing the possible advantages of newer a ntipsychotic drugs.