The relationship of sleep disturbance to behavior pathology in a group of schizophrenic patients

Measures of sleep disturbance and behavioral pathology were obtained over a four month period on 21 largely chronic schizophrenic patients. The sleep disturbance scores were based on systematic observation of patients at half-hourly intervals throughout the night. Behavior pathology was rated independently by ward personnel using a paired comparisons method and the Psychotic Reaction Profile. Behavior during interview was rated by two psychiatrists on the Inpatient Multidimensional Scale. Also, scores for reaction time, word association and social interaction were obtained for most patients. Statistically significant correlation coefficients were found between Sleep Disturbance Scores and several measures of behavioral disturbance and with one of the two reaction times scores. Despite these overall relationships, some striking exceptions occurred in which severely ill patients apparently slept quite well; exceptions in the opposite direction were not clearly noted in the present sample. The significance of the findings was discussed and the value of gross but systematic sleep observation of psychiatric patients was emphasized.