Assessment of premorbid social competence in schizophrenia: A methodological note.

The developmental theory underlying the Zigler-Phillips Social Competence Scale ({ZPSCS}; Zigler & Phillips, 1961) has important implications for using the scale to assess premorbid adjustment in schizophrenia. Many studies using the {ZPSCS} have scored the scale in an inconsistent manner or have not clearly limited the premorbid period to that prior to the onset of illness. {ZPSCS} ratings of social competence change over time, therefore studies using the {ZPSCS} should attend closely to the definition of the premorbid period and indicate whether premorbid or current adult social competence is being assessed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)