A Study of Factors Associated with Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients with Schizophrenic Symptoms

Abstract

Seventeen patients with schizophrenic symptoms were assessed before and after ECT to elicit possible factors predictive of outcome. The strongest associations with good outcome were shown by short duration of illness and paucity of premorbid schizoid personality traits; significant associations were also shown by short duration of current episode, paucity of paranoid premorbid personality traits, and the presence of perplexity. The diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder was not related to outcome. Questionnaires completed by 16 patients after ECT showed their attitudes to be generally favourable to the procedure.