Perceptual Differentiation and Two Dimensions of Schizophrenia

Social competence and outcome in psychiatric disorder.

“…A final hypothesis may be related to the nature of the problems which precipitate the mental disorder. As earlier studies have reported, in individuals who have displayed good premorbid social adequacy, there is a tendency for a specific traumatic event to precipitate the disorder (Becker, 1956;Garmezy & Rodnick, 1959;Kantor, Wallner, & Winder, 1953;Phillips, 1953;Weiner, 1958;Zimet & Fine, 1959). Antithetically, in individuals with poor premorbid social adequacy, there is a tendency for the disorder not to be preceded by such events.…”

The process-reactive classification of schizophrenia.

“…The findings indicated that archaic and impulse-ridden materials break through more freely in process schizophrenia, and that there is less ego control over the production of more regressive fantasies. Zimet and Fine (1959) speculated that process schizophrenia mirrors oral deprivation of early ego impoverishment, so that either regression or fixation to an earlier developmental stage is reflected in his perceptual organization. In contrast, it is possible that the reactive schizophrenic's ego weakness occurs at a later stage in psychosexual development, and any one event may reactivate the early conflict.…”

Premorbid competence in schizophrenia: What is being measured?

“…The clearest example of this tradition may be seen in the many studies utilizing Rorschach scores as a means of measuring developmental level (Becker, 1955(Becker, ,1956(Becker, , 1959Friedman, 1953;Hemmendinger, 1953;Hemmendinger & Schultz, 1977;Kantor & Herron, 1965Kantor, Wallner, & Winder, 1953;Levine, 1959;Misch, 1954;Wilensky, 1959;Zimet & Fine, 1959). Although the developmental scoring of the Rorschach continues to be a promising vehicle for assessing variation in adults' developmental levels, Zigler rejected this practice for four reasons.…”