Anxiety symptoms have variable prevalence rate of 26.3% to 50.4% in schizophrenic patients compared to 28.8% for general population. Some atypical antipsychotics (Quetiapine, Olanzapine) are effective in reducing anxiety in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders.

The purpose of this preliminary study was to compare the efficacy of typical and atypical antipsychotics in reducing anxiety in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder hospitalized in Arad between 2013- 2014.

Considering the treatment, 63subjects patients were divided in two groups: T1 (treated with Olanzapine, Quetiapine) and T2 (treated with Haloperidolum, Risperidone, Aripiprazol).

After treatment, the level of anxiety is reduced with significant improvement of total score of PANSS; the effect is higher in group T2 compared to T1. Before treatment, anxiety is positively correlated with total score of PANSSN (r=.285; p=0.010), PANSST (r=.260; p=0.040) and total score of HAM-D (r=.455; p<0.0001). Also the score of the YMRS is negatively correlated with negative items of PANSSN scale (r=-.321; p=0.010). The cognitive level (QI) was decreased post-treatment for both treatments, but T1 had had a higher effect on it.

Various treatments are successful in reducing anxiety in psychotic patients. This conclusion is confirm duet our results: in group T2 the treatment has a higher effect on anxiety and lower size effect on intelligence.