RT Journal
A1 Overall JE, Hollister LE
T1 COmparative evaluation of research diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia
JF Archives of General Psychiatry
JO Archives of General Psychiatry
YR 1979
FD October 1
VO 36
IS 11
SP 1198
OP 1205
DO 10.1001/archpsyc.1979.01780110052006
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1979.01780110052006
AB • Criteria for establishing a diagnosis of schizophrenia have been proposed by several different authors. This study compared six different research diagnostic criteria (RDC) in a series of 166 patients who received a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia in a multicenter study. The alternative criteria differed in the proportion of clinical diagnoses that were confirmed, with the Washington University (Feighner) criteria accepting only 26%. The criteria also disagreed concerning which particular patients qualified for the diagnosis. The Washington University and New York RDC disagreed 50% of the time, and some other disagreement rates were even higher. More evaluative research is needed before arbitrary criteria are permitted to redefine the concept of schizophrenia.