Which of the following features is associated with a BETTER prognosis in schizophrenia?
- A Acute onset with prominent affective symptoms ✓
- B Family history of schizophrenia
- C Insidious onset with prominent negative symptoms
- D Poor premorbid social and occupational adjustment
Correct answer: A. Acute onset with prominent affective symptoms
Explanation
Good prognostic indicators include acute onset, late age of onset, presence of precipitating factors, predominance of positive or affective symptoms, being female, married status, good premorbid functioning, and a family history of mood disorders. Insidious onset, negative symptoms, poor premorbid adjustment, and a family history of schizophrenia all predict a poorer course with more residual impairment. Indian textbooks such as Ahuja emphasise this same set of favourable versus unfavourable prognostic factors.
Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.
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