Psychosocial Impact of Early Onset Schizophrenia

Introduction Infant Schizophrenia is a severe developmental disorder affecting most areas of children's adaptive functioning; especially the social field. The objective of this work was to study the psychosocial implications of early onset schizophrenia. Methods We conducted a descriptive and retrospective survey on 58 children and adolescents who were hospitalized in the child and adolescent psychiatry department of Sfax for schizophrenia according to the DSM-IV TR criteria, during 14 years (from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2013) Results In this study, patients frequently showed disruption of family interactions. Indeed, the child's relationship with his parents was marked by the withdrawal in 26% of cases, the dominance in 19% of cases and rejection in 13.7% of cases. For their part, parents demonstrated attitudes of indifference in 29% of cases, hyper protection in 28% of cases and rejection in 24% of cases. In addition, adjustment difficulties were noted in 63.3% of cases, a tendency of isolation in 43.6% of cases and a conflictual relationship with peers in 27.3% of cases. Academically, patients had difficulties in school in 62% of cases. It was as type of school decline in 36% of cases, absenteeism in 36% of cases, school disinvestment in 30.5% of cases and grade repetition in 12% of cases. Conclusion This study shows that children and adolescents with schizophrenia had family, social and school adjustment difficulties; which joined the literature as to the severity of early onset schizophrenia whose prognosis is often unfavorable.