Individuals in the early and chronic SSI groups were outpatients recruited
from the Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation Program (STEP) at the
University of North Carolina Neurosciences Hospital and had a diagnosis of
a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder based on the Structured Clinical Interview
for DSM-IV (SCID-P) and chart review. Individuals were recruited via
clinic postings, presentations to staff, and referrals from psychiatric
residents. We recruited individuals who were experiencing only minimal
symptoms at the time of the study in order to provide a strict comparison to
the at-risk sample who by definition should show only subclinical levels of
symptoms. To be included in the early SSI group, individuals were required
to have been ill for less than 5 years, which was confirmed via review of their
clinical records. The mean duration of illness for the early and chronic SSI
groups were 2.0 years (SD1.38) and 17.0 years (SD7.72), respectively.
Of the 21 individuals in the early SSI group, 17 had a diagnosis of
schizophrenia, 2 of schizoaffective disorder, and 2 of Psychosis NOS, and of
the 28 individuals in the chronic SSI group, 19 had a diagnosis of
schizophrenia and 9 had a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.