Major psychoses symptomatology: factor analysis of 2241 psychotic subjects

Current nosography classifies major psychoses as separate disorders, but th eir symptomatological presentation during illness episodes largely overlaps and diagnoses may change during a lifetime. Few analyses of major psychose s symptomatology have been performed so far because of the large number of subjects needed to obtain stable factors. The purpose of this study was, th erefore, to identify the symptomatologic structure common to major psychose s based on lifetime symptoms. Two thousand and forty-one inpatients affecte d by schizophrenic (n = 1008), bipolar (n = 563), major depressive (n = 352 ), delusional (n = 108) and psychotic not otherwise specified disorder (n = 210) were rated for lifetime symptoms using the Operational Criteria Check list for Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) and included in a factorial analysis. F our factors were obtained, the first consisted of excitement symptoms, the second comprised psychotic features (delusions and hallucinations), the thi rd comprised depression and the fourth disorganization. When scored by the OPCRIT checklist, major psychoses symptomatology is composed of excitement, depressive, delusion and disorganization symptoms.