Social outcome compared in psychotic and nonpsychotic bipolar I patients.

Eighty-nine bipolar I patients were given a structured interview, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Those who had experienced delusions or hallucinations at some time during the course of their illness were designated "psychotic," and those who had not were designated "nonpsychotic." The two groups were compared with regard to a number of outcome variables as well as age, age at first treatment, and duration of illness. The psychotic group had significantly poorer outcome in terms of social functioning. Although age, age at first treatment, and duration of illness distinguished between the two groups of patients, statistical analyses indicated that these variables did not account for differences in social outcome.