Class drift and schizophrenia

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Abstract
This study is part of an ongoing analysis of 207 children with schizophrenic mothers (high-risk subjects) and 104 low-risk controls begun in 1962 in 1962 by Mednick and Schulsinger. The purpose was to examine class mobility in schizophrenics using a prospective paradigm. In the present study 14 high-risk schizophrenics were matched with 14 high-risk non-schizophrenics and 14 low-risk non-schizophrenics on age, sex and social class origin. Groups were compared on highest class attainment and socioeconomic status in 1972. High-risk non-schizophrenics were comparable in class attainment to low-risk non-schizophrenics, however, high-risk schizophrenics were downwardly mobile in comparison to their non-schizophrenic high-risk counterparts. The class drift hypothesis was thus supported.

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