[Developmental conditions and subjective experiences of children with a schizophrenic parent--qualitative and quantitative studies from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk]. / Sozialer Entwicklungsstand und subjektives Belastungserleben bei Nachkommen Schizophrener--Qualitative und quantitative Ergebnisse aus der Mannheimer Risikokinderstudie.

OBJECTIVE: 35 children 12-42 years of age of patients with schizophrenia (ABC-Cohort-12-year-follow-up) were interviewed for studying objective and subjective effects of growing up with a schizophrenic parent. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Social development and childhood experiences were assessed and quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated. RESULTS: The majority of probands had to take on early responsibilities in their family. Experienced deficits in parental care and problems with poor communication within the family were also mentioned. Compared with controls they showed only light disadvantages in the level of education and vocational training. CONCLUSION: Even if early independence could be a positive resource for children with a schizophrenic parent the restrictions in the child's life and development should not be overlooked. Information on the illness and support in dealing with stressful situations are frequently needed.

Depression in the long-term course of schizophrenia.

Depressive symptoms are quantitatively and qualitatively among the most important characteristics of schizophrenia. The following contribution reports on the prevalence of depression in 107 patients of the ABC schizophrenia study over 12 years after first hospital admission, looks into a preponderance of depression at certain stages of the illness and the predictive value of depressive symptoms for course and outcome. All but one of the 107 patients experienced one to 10 episodes of depressed mood between index assessment and long-term follow-up. In any month of the observation period about 30-35% of the patients presented at least one symptom of the depressive core syndrome (depressive mood, loss of pleasure, loss of interests, loss of self-confidence, feelings of guilt, suicidal thoughts/suicide attempt). Depressive symptoms are particularly frequent during a psychotic episode at a rate of approximately 50%. There were moderate but statistically significant correlations between the amount of depressive symptoms during a psychotic episode and the frequency of relapses, defined by hospital admissions as well as the total length of inpatient treatment. Depression occurring in the interval was not associated with an increased need for inpatient treatment.