Association between family environment and childhood schizophrenia

Objective To investigate the association between family environment and personality characteristics in children with schizophrenia.Methods During January 2015 to January 2016,100 children diagnosed with schizophrenia from Xinxiang Children's Psychiatric Hospital,as well as their parents,were investigated Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS),the Big Five Personality Questionnaire (simplified),Parenting Style Questionnaire,Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Questionnaire.100 healthy control children and their parents were recruited from nearby communities and investigated with the same questionnaire.Correlation between schizophrenia symptoms and family environmental characteristics was analyzed.Results About 62%of child schizophrenia was paranoid subtype,followed by youth (16%),simple (6%) and undifferentiated subtype,with average duration (14.62±10.24) months.Mean positive and negative score of PANSS was (20.08±4.96) and (38.02±8.27),respectively.Extraversion and openness to experience in personality traits was significantly higher in schizophrenia group than the control group (P<0.05).Fathers of the observation group scored lower in acceptance,respect,tolerance,encouragement,warmth,discipline control and expectation while mothers scored lower in democracy,respect,understanding,warmth,discipline control and expectation,compared with that of the control group.Children with schizophrenia reported higher ideal intimacy,dissatisfaction on actual intimacy and adaptability than the control group.Adaptability was significantly lower in observation group than the control group.18children with schizophrenia came from extreme families,compared with 7 cases in control.Nearly half (48%) of the observation group were intermediate family,compared with 21% in the control group.About 66% of children with schizophrenia came from extreme and intermediate families.Conclusion Children with schizophrenia differ from healthy peers in personality traits,parenting style and family environment.It may be helpful to develop family-based parenting intervention aiming to provide children with more warmth and intimacy.