Early longitudinal course of acute-chronic and paranoid--undifferentiated schizophrenia subtypes and schizophreniform disorder.

This prospective longitudinal study examined symptoms and adjustment at 2 and 4 years posthospital discharge in Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-III) schizophrenia subtypes and in DSM-III schizophreniform disorder. Delusions, hallucinations, thought disorder, anxiety, depression, and specific areas of community adjustment were assessed at each follow-up. RDC acute and subacute schizophrenia and DSM-III schizophreniform disorder were associated with more satisfactory overall adjustment and lower frequencies of psychotic symptoms over time. No significant differences in the course of symptoms or adjustment were found between paranoid and undifferentiated schizophrenia subtypes. Schizophrenia subtyping schemes based on length of illness features appear more prognostically viable than do symptom-based approaches.