Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the relevance of a number of background variables with regard to psychopathology of outpatients. Some 70 items of personal and social history plus BPRS symptom rating profiles recorded by 2 different professional observers were obtained for a sample of 729 adult psychiatric outpatients. Personal and social characteristics of the patient himself and types of problems encountered by the patient in his social context proved to be the most relevant kinds of information. Items related to the social class of parental family and the type of precipitating event were found to be of lesser relevance. A minimum set of background variables necessary to account for much of the systematic variance in manifest psychopathology in the out. patient population was identified.
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