Who provides the best retrospective information while assessing adult's premorbid functioning? A methodological study in a first-admission sample with psychosis

The present study investigates the quality of data received retrospectively from subjects in their first psychotic admission and from their relatives in comparison to school records. The sample included 161 subjects out of 30 9 subjects (51.4%) for whom at least part of the information about the scho ol was received. The study showed that valuable information can be extracte d from school records if done systematically. Significant other's (usually the biological mother) report more accurately on academic performance durin g the early school years than the subject himself. The school records did n ot always report behavioral and social problems reported by the subject the mselves or their relatives. Conclusions: 1) For retrospective information o n academic performance the school records can be considered the optimal sou rce. When records are not available, parents, in general, provide reliable information. The respondent himself can be considered highly reliable when reporting poor grades; 2) Disruptive behaviors during the early school year s are reported at high frequency by school records. Parents and respondents tend to report increasing disruptive behaviors during the middle and high school years; 3) When eliciting information about social domains it is impo rtant to obtain information from all available sources.