The long-term level of functioning in patients admitted for psychotic disorders with and without substance abuse

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to compare life skills between psychotic patients with substance abuse problems and psychotic patients without substance abuse problems. This is a cross-sectional study of 48 patients (26 inpatients and 22 outpatients) in a clinic for early intervention in psychosis. Patients were grouped into two categories based on if they had a substance abuse problem or not. Twenty-one (43.8%) had a substance abuse problem and 27 (56.2%) had not. We used several scales to measure substance abuse and the Life Skills Profile to measure aspects of functioning. A parametric test (t-test) was used to compare continuous variables. A non-parametric chi-square test was used to compare frequencies. The self-care subscore and the non-turbulence subscore were higher in the group with psychosis alone. These results were not significant controlling for age. The social contact subscore, the communication subscore, the responsibility subscore and the Life Skills Profile total score did not differ significantly between the groups. The abusers did not differ from the non-abusers in functioning in any area measured.