Symptoms at Onset in First Episode Schizophrenia: Caregivers Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Early recognition of symptoms is important in the management of psychosis. Caregivers understanding and attribution of symptoms plays a major role in treatment selection.

AIM: The aim was to identify the various symptoms cluster recognized by caregivers at illness onset in first episode schizophrenia.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study 40 key caregivers of patients with first episode of Schizophrenia (International Classification of Diseases-10) attending the outpatient services of Schizophrenia Research Foundation were recruited. Caregivers were assessed using a questionnaire adapted from the Psychiatric and Personal History Schedule.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Principal component (PCP) analysis.

RESULTS: Caregivers were predominantly women. Parents (58%), siblings (18%), spouse (12%), and children (12%) formed the sample. The caregiver easily recognized depressive symptoms. An analysis was done to analyze symptom data rated on the caregiver questionnaire indicated a four-factor solution. PCP analysis produced a clear depressive, anxious, irritable, and vegetative factor (Eigenvalue >0.05). Caregivers (40%) attributed present lifestyle as causality. The first contact of help in almost half of the sample (45%) was to a psychiatric facility.

CONCLUSION: Caregiver's perception about mental illness and ability to identify the four factors has important treatment implications. Studying patterns of help seeking may be a useful strategy in early intervention programs.