PSYCHIATRIA DANUBINA, vol.29, no.2, pp.141-147, 2017 (SCI-Expanded)
Aim: Schizophrenia (SCH) and bipolar affective disorder (BAD) are currently classified separately according to the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) standardized diagnostic guidelines. However, the validity of this categorical approach is controversial because psychotic symptoms may be observed in both diagnoses. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and social characteristics in a sample group consisting of patients diagnosed with SCH or BAD to help demonstrate the basic difficulty in the current classification of SCH and BAD as two etiologically distinct diseases.