Consistency of symptomatic dimensions of schizophrenia over 20 years

In the confirmatory factor analysis, the only symptomatic dimension confirmed at all follow-ups was the negative factor (emotional withdrawal, motor retardation, blunted affect and conceptual disorganization) as derived from the 20-year follow up in exploratory factor analysis. The positive syndrome derived from the three-year follow-up (hostility, suspiciousness, unusual thought content and hallucinations) was confirmed at the seven- and 20-year follow-ups. In the depressive syndrome the model from the 12-year follow-up (guilt, depression, suicidality, anxiety and somatic concern) was confirmed for the follow-ups after seven and 20 years. As regards the excitement syndrome, we confirmed the model from the three-year follow-up (motor hyperactivity, elated mood, conceptual disorganization, excitement) at the follow-ups at seven and 12 years.