ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The relation between substance abuse and symptoms of psychosis as well as related disorders was evaluated among patients at the Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Marburg. METHODS: Using a child and adolescent version of the IRAOS (Instrument of the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset of Schizophrenia, Häfner et al., 1990), all patients with a co-morbid substance abuse were assessed. Patients with a drug-induced psychosis (n = 8) were compared to psychotic patients with co-morbid substance abuse and to patients with other psychiatric disorders and substance abuse (n = 30). RESULTS: These three groups could be significantly distinguished on the basis of pre-morbid symptoms and pre-morbid functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The IRAOS shows some evidence that psychotic patients with co-morbid substance abuse can be distinguished from patients with a drug-induced psychosis according to the course of the initial psychopathology and pre-morbid functioning.
