Duration of untreated psychosis is associated with more negative schizophrenia symptoms after acute treatment for first-episode psychosis

Evidence of association between duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and negative symptoms of schizophrenia in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients is inconsistent in the recent literature. In the present study, DUP, schizophrenia symptoms, duration of medication, and diagnosis were obtained from hospital archives in a sample of FEP patients. The sample included 41 first-episode patients who had an ICD-10 schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis (F20-F29) and were treated with antipsychotic medication. Longer duration in days from the first psychotic symptoms to the initiation of antipsychotic medication had a statistically significant positive correlation with mean level of negative symptoms (Spearman's ρ = .38; p < .05). Results suggests that DUP is associated with a higher level of negative symptoms after the onset of adequate antipsychotic treatment. This should be considered in the care of FEP.