Changes Over Time of Medication Status of Patients With Better Functioning In regard to changes over time, the data indicate the strongest effect and the greatest likelihood of a number of factors of importance to emerge occurred after the first 2 years. Thus, by the 4.5- and 7.5-year follow-ups and at each follow-up thereafter, this trend toward better functioning for the patients not on antipsychotics and with more positive personality characteristics was stronger and statistically sig- nificant for this subgroup with more internal resources and positive attitudes about themselves.