Transcript The Copenhagen high risk study

The Copenhagen high risk study
Kety et al 1962
By Kelly and Selina
Aim
To investigate whether there is a biological
predisposition in schizophrenia, researchers
have suggested that this may occur in foetal
development.
Procedure
• A longitudinal study
• They identified 207 off springs of mothers
diagnosed with schizophrenia (high risk)
• Matched with a control group of 104 children
with ‘healthy’ mothers (low risk)
• Children were aged between 10-20 years at
the start of the study and were matched upon
age, gender, place of residence and their
background
Procdure continued…
• The sample of children were given a variety of
assessments of which their response was
measured.
• Assessments – response to mild/loud sounds,
word association test, interview with parent,
reaction to school report from teacher
Schizotypal personality
• A disorder characterised by acentric behaviour
and anomalies of thinking and affect which
resemble those seen in schizophrenia.
Findings
• Out of the high risk group 16.2% were
diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to
1.9% in the low risk group
• 18.8% of the high risk group were diagnosed
with schizotypal personality disorder whereas
only 5% of the low risk group were diagnosed
with schizotypal personality disorder.
Conclusion
• The study supports that a large proportion of
children with shizophrenic mothers suffers an
elevation predisposition to schizophrenia
spectrum disorders. Other factors that can
increase the risk are; age of mother when her
illness begins, number of relatives with
schizophrenia
• The schizotypal personality disorder is based
on genetics
evaluation
• A strength of this study is that it is supported
by research such as the New york high risk
project they found similar findings along with
a 25 year follow up.