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School teacher ratings predictive of psychiatric outcome 25 years later

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

Su-Chin Serene Olin ,
Sarnoff A. Mednick ,
Tyrone Cannon ,
Bjorn Jacobsen ,
Josef Parnas ,
Fini Schulsinger  and
Hanne Schulsinger
Su-Chin Serene Olin
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Sarnoff A. Mednick
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Tyrone Cannon
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Bjorn Jacobsen
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Josef Parnas
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Fini Schulsinger
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
Hanne Schulsinger
Affiliation:
Social Science Research Institute, Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0375; e-mail: sstan@andre.usc.edu
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Abstract

Background The current study examines teacher ratings as a tool for identifying students at risk of developing psychosis. Follow-up and follow-back studies have shown that teachers are capable of identifying individuals who later develop serious mental illness.

Method We examine the long-term outcomes for individuals at genetic risk who were identified as showing markedly deviant behaviour and those identified who did not show markedly deviant behaviour.

Results Teachers were able to correctly anticipate 35% of students who developed schizophrenia. Furthermore, those identified as showing markedly deviant behaviour had poorer clinical and psychiatric outcomes 10 and 25 years later than those identified as not behaving with marked deviance. Their ratings also differentiated, within the group of people with schizophrenia, which individuals would show evidence of poorer functioning 25 years later. These results were replicated in a group of students not at genetic risk of schizophrenia. Within this low-risk group, teachers were able to predict which students would develop psychotic disorders.

Conclusions Teacher ratings were particularly useful in predicting clinical and psychiatric outcomes 10 and 25 years later. The applicability of these findings in early intervention and treatment research is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 172 , Issue S33: Verging on reality , June 1998 , pp. 7 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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