GENDER SPECIFIC OF ADJUSTMENT TO THE DISEASE AMONG PATIENTS WITH FIRST-EPISODE OF PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA

Abstract

In order to study the specific of adjustment to the disease among patients with first-episode of paranoid schizophrenia, it was examined 160 men and women with different disease duration. Three methods were used: clinical psychological, experimental psychological and statistical. It is shown that three main variants of adjustment to the disease: “passive”, “avoidant” and “overcoming” are typical for patients with paranoid schizophrenia. Each variant becomes actual for men and women at different stages of the disease. “Overcoming” variant is characterized by a realistic assessment of the disease and a positive self-conception, “avoidant” – expressed confusion before the disease and negative self-conception, and “passive” – formal compliance of medical prescriptions and adaptation to environmental conditions. It is discovered that patients with firstepisode of paranoid schizophrenia are characterized by “overcoming” variant of adjustment to the disease that blends with “avoidant” variant for men and “passive” variant for women, indicating more constructive adjustment to the disease among women in the early stages of the disease. The most of men with a long-term schizophrenia use the “passive” variant, but the most of women use “avoidant” variant. Final results of this research are valuable for clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists.