Affiliation:
1. University of Tennessee
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunctions, which are frequently attributed as wholly due to schizophrenia, may partly arise from the institutionalization to which schizophrenics are subjected rather than from schizophrenia itself. To test this, 60 schizophrenics were divided into 4 groups on the basis of total duration of disorder and percent time spent in an institution. When their Rorschach protocols were rated blindly, total institutionalization time had a significant effect on cognitive functioning independently of the severity of the illness.