'Schizoid' personality in childhood and adult life. III: The childhood picture.

The childhood case records of 32 'schizoid' children and 32 matched controls were analysed. 'Schizoid' children were characterised by solitariness, unusual fantasies, special interests, and specific developmental delays, especially of language-related skills. They were of average or above-average IQ, and half presented with other, common, child psychiatric syndromes. It is important to distinguish 'schizoid' children from children with reactive psychiatric disorders.