Ordem de nascimento e relacionamento fraterno de pacientes esquizofrenicos

Bucher, Richard E.; Terzis, Antonio

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1980000100007

Resumos

Foram examinados 150 pacientes (69 homens e 81 mulheres), internados em seis clínicas psiquiátricas de Brasília e arredores e diagnosticados como esquizofrênicos. Foi utilizado um questionário de dados pessoais (com 45 questões sobre identidade, variáveis sócio-culturais e estrutura familiar), preenchido após entrevista com os pacientes e estudos dos prontuários. Como grupo de controle, foram escolhidos pacientes psiquiátricos não esquizofrênicos, a saber 70 homens alcóolatras e 29 mulheres neuróticas, todos internados. Quanto à posição de nascimento, nenhuma diferença significativa foi encontrada sobre uma incidência maior de primogênitos. Diferenças altamente significativas se manifestaram, porém, no que tange ao sexo do irmão que precede, em grande maioria do sexo oposto. Este fato é interpretado no sentido de dificuldades de identificação e de identidade sexual, devidas a um relacionamento conflitivo com a figura do irmão que precede.

In recent years, birth order has received particular emphasis in the study of structures and relationship in the families of schizophrenics. Several studies evidenced a higher risk of morbidity in firstborn children. The present research intends to verify the nature of this relationship in Brazil. One hundred fifty patients (69 men and 81 women), diagnosed as schizophrenics, were studied. The patients were interviewed and given a questionnaire on personal data. Non-sçhizophrenic, psychiatric patients were used as controls: 70 male alcoholics and 29 female, severe neurotics, all institutionalized. No significant difference was found as to birth order. Among males, 35,7% of the alcoholics are first borns, as against 24,6% of the schizophrenics; among females, the proportions were 17,2% and 8,6% for the neurotic and schizophrenic patients, respectively. There was, however, highly significant effect with respect to the sex of the preceding sibling. For schizophrenics, the sibling which precedes the patient in the birth order is, in most cases, of the opposite sex (68,2% for the males and 71,6% for the females). The converse was observed among the controle subjects; 55,7% of the male alcoholics are preceded by a brother and only 8,6% by a sister; of the female neurotic, 62,1% are preceded by a sister and 20,7% by a brother. According to these surprising results, it is not birth order which plaus a pathogenic role, but rather the relation to the preceding sibling of the opposite sex. Further study should confirm the specificity of this family relationship and analyse its pathogenic effect in the etiology of schizophrenia. 29 female, severe neurotics, all institutionalized. No significant difference was found as to birth order. Among males, 35,7% of the alcoholics are first borns, as against 24,6% of the schizophrenics; among females, the proportions were 17,2% and 8,6% for the neurotic and schizophrenic patients, respectively. There was, however, highly significant effect with respect to the sex of the preceding sibling. For schizophrenics, the sibling which precedes the patient in the birth order is, in most cases, of the opposite sex (68,2% for the males and 71,6% for the females). The converse was observed among the controle subjects; 55,7% of the male alcoholics are preceded by a brother and only 8,6% by a sister; of the female neurotic, 62,1% are preceded by a sister and 20,7% by a brother. According to these surprising results, it is not birth order which plaus a pathogenic role, but rather the relation to the preceding sibling of the opposite sex. Further study should confirm the specificity of this family relationship and analyse its pathogenic effect in the etiology of schizophrenia.

Ordem de nascimento e relacionamento fraterno de pacientes esquizofrenicos

Birth order and sibling relations of schizophrenics

Richard E. Bucher, Ph. D; Antonio Terzis

Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade de Brasília

RESUMO

Foram examinados 150 pacientes (69 homens e 81 mulheres), internados em seis clínicas psiquiátricas de Brasília e arredores e diagnosticados como esquizofrênicos. Foi utilizado um questionário de dados pessoais (com 45 questões sobre identidade, variáveis sócio-culturais e estrutura familiar), preenchido após entrevista com os pacientes e estudos dos prontuários. Como grupo de controle, foram escolhidos pacientes psiquiátricos não esquizofrênicos, a saber 70 homens alcóolatras e 29 mulheres neuróticas, todos internados. Quanto à posição de nascimento, nenhuma diferença significativa foi encontrada sobre uma incidência maior de primogênitos. Diferenças altamente significativas se manifestaram, porém, no que tange ao sexo do irmão que precede, em grande maioria do sexo oposto. Este fato é interpretado no sentido de dificuldades de identificação e de identidade sexual, devidas a um relacionamento conflitivo com a figura do irmão que precede.

SUMMARY

In recent years, birth order has received particular emphasis in the study of structures and relationship in the families of schizophrenics. Several studies evidenced a higher risk of morbidity in firstborn children. The present research intends to verify the nature of this relationship in Brazil. One hundred fifty patients (69 men and 81 women), diagnosed as schizophrenics, were studied. The patients were interviewed and given a questionnaire on personal data. Non-sçhizophrenic, psychiatric patients were used as controls: 70 male alcoholics and 29 female, severe neurotics, all institutionalized. No significant difference was found as to birth order. Among males, 35,7% of the alcoholics are first borns, as against 24,6% of the schizophrenics; among females, the proportions were 17,2% and 8,6% for the neurotic and schizophrenic patients, respectively. There was, however, highly significant effect with respect to the sex of the preceding sibling. For schizophrenics, the sibling which precedes the patient in the birth order is, in most cases, of the opposite sex (68,2% for the males and 71,6% for the females). The converse was observed among the controle subjects; 55,7% of the male alcoholics are preceded by a brother and only 8,6% by a sister; of the female neurotic, 62,1% are preceded by a sister and 20,7% by a brother. According to these surprising results, it is not birth order which plaus a pathogenic role, but rather the relation to the preceding sibling of the opposite sex. Further study should confirm the specificity of this family relationship and analyse its pathogenic effect in the etiology of schizophrenia. 29 female, severe neurotics, all institutionalized. No significant difference was found as to birth order. Among males, 35,7% of the alcoholics are first borns, as against 24,6% of the schizophrenics; among females, the proportions were 17,2% and 8,6% for the neurotic and schizophrenic patients, respectively. There was, however, highly significant effect with respect to the sex of the preceding sibling. For schizophrenics, the sibling which precedes the patient in the birth order is, in most cases, of the opposite sex (68,2% for the males and 71,6% for the females). The converse was observed among the controle subjects; 55,7% of the male alcoholics are preceded by a brother and only 8,6% by a sister; of the female neurotic, 62,1% are preceded by a sister and 20,7% by a brother. According to these surprising results, it is not birth order which plaus a pathogenic role, but rather the relation to the preceding sibling of the opposite sex. Further study should confirm the specificity of this family relationship and analyse its pathogenic effect in the etiology of schizophrenia.

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Departamento de Psicologia - Universidade de Brasilia - 70910 Brasília, D.F. - Brasil.

1. BARRY, H. & BARRY, H. Jr. - Birth order, family size and schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 17:435, 1967.
2. BOWEN, M. - A family concept of Schizophrenia. In The Etiology of Schizophrenia. Basic Books, New York, 1960.
3. CROWCROFT, A. - O Psicótico. Compreensão da loucura. Zahar. Rio de Janeiro, 1971.
4. DI LASCIO, A. - Esquizofrenia: etiopatogenia e diagnóstico. Neurobiologia (Recife) 38:351; 1975.
5. ERLENMETER-KIMLING, L.; VAN DEN BOSCH, E. & DENHAM, B. - The problem of birth-order and schizophrenia: a negative conclusion. Brit. J. Psychiat. 115:659, 1969.
6. GRANVILLE-GROSSMANN, K. L. - Birth order and schizophrenia. Brit. J. Psychiat. 112:1119, 1966.
7. HARE, E. H. & PRICE, J. S. - Birth rank in schizophrenia: with a consideration of the bias due to changes in birth-date. Brit. J. Psychiat. 116:409, 1970.
8. HINSHELWOOD, R. D. - Schizophrenia and family function: aspects of birth order. Brit. J. Soc. Psychiat. Comm. Health 6:90, 1972.
9. MUZEKARI, L. H. - Birth order and social behaviour among cronic schizophrenics. J. Clin. Psychol. 28:483, 1972.
10. PRICE, J. S. & HARE, E. H. - Birth order studies: some sources of bias. Brit. J. Psychiat. 115:633, 1969.
11. RASSIDAKIS, N.; KELEPOURIS, M. & SPORROS, L. - Etude sur la relation de la schizophrénie avec l'ordre de la naissance des enfants selon leur sexe. Actes de la Xe Semaine Médicale Balcanique (Beograd), 1970.
12. REISS, D. - The family and schizophrenia. Amer. J. Psychiat. 133:181. 1976.
13. SANDELR, P. C. & SANDLER, E. H. - Esquizofrenia e ordem de nascimento. Arq. Neuro-Psychiat. (São Paulo) 36:46, 1978.
14. SCHMIDT, C. W. & TOLDE, R. - Familienkonstellationen in Geisteskrankheiten. Fortsch. Neurol. Psychiat. und ihrer Grenzgebiete 45:20, 1977.
15. SOLOMON, L. & NUTTTALL, R. - Sibling order, premorbid adjustment and remission in schizophrenia. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 144:37, 1967.
16. SUNDARARAJ, N. & SRIDHARA RAMA RAO, B. S. - Order of birth and schizophrenia. Brit. J. Psychiat. 112:1127, 1966.
17. GREGORY, I. - An analysis of family data on 1000 patients admitted to a Canadian Mental Hospital. Acta Genet. 9:54, 1959.

Datas de Publicação

Publicação nesta coleção
22 Ago 2012
Data do Fascículo
Mar 1980

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[1] 1. BARRY, H. & BARRY, H. Jr. - Birth order, family size and schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 17:435, 1967.

[2] 2. BOWEN, M. - A family concept of Schizophrenia. In The Etiology of Schizophrenia. Basic Books, New York, 1960.

[3] 3. CROWCROFT, A. - O Psicótico. Compreensão da loucura. Zahar. Rio de Janeiro, 1971.

[4] 4. DI LASCIO, A. - Esquizofrenia: etiopatogenia e diagnóstico. Neurobiologia (Recife) 38:351; 1975.

[5] 5. ERLENMETER-KIMLING, L.; VAN DEN BOSCH, E. & DENHAM, B. - The problem of birth-order and schizophrenia: a negative conclusion. Brit. J. Psychiat. 115:659, 1969.

[6] 6. GRANVILLE-GROSSMANN, K. L. - Birth order and schizophrenia. Brit. J. Psychiat. 112:1119, 1966.

[7] 7. HARE, E. H. & PRICE, J. S. - Birth rank in schizophrenia: with a consideration of the bias due to changes in birth-date. Brit. J. Psychiat. 116:409, 1970.

[8] 8. HINSHELWOOD, R. D. - Schizophrenia and family function: aspects of birth order. Brit. J. Soc. Psychiat. Comm. Health 6:90, 1972.

[9] 9. MUZEKARI, L. H. - Birth order and social behaviour among cronic schizophrenics. J. Clin. Psychol. 28:483, 1972.

[10] 10. PRICE, J. S. & HARE, E. H. - Birth order studies: some sources of bias. Brit. J. Psychiat. 115:633, 1969.

[11] 11. RASSIDAKIS, N.; KELEPOURIS, M. & SPORROS, L. - Etude sur la relation de la schizophrénie avec l'ordre de la naissance des enfants selon leur sexe. Actes de la Xe Semaine Médicale Balcanique (Beograd), 1970.

[12] 12. REISS, D. - The family and schizophrenia. Amer. J. Psychiat. 133:181. 1976.

[13] 13. SANDELR, P. C. & SANDLER, E. H. - Esquizofrenia e ordem de nascimento. Arq. Neuro-Psychiat. (São Paulo) 36:46, 1978.

[14] 14. SCHMIDT, C. W. & TOLDE, R. - Familienkonstellationen in Geisteskrankheiten. Fortsch. Neurol. Psychiat. und ihrer Grenzgebiete 45:20, 1977.

[15] 15. SOLOMON, L. & NUTTTALL, R. - Sibling order, premorbid adjustment and remission in schizophrenia. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 144:37, 1967.

[16] 16. SUNDARARAJ, N. & SRIDHARA RAMA RAO, B. S. - Order of birth and schizophrenia. Brit. J. Psychiat. 112:1127, 1966.

[17] 17. GREGORY, I. - An analysis of family data on 1000 patients admitted to a Canadian Mental Hospital. Acta Genet. 9:54, 1959.