Verbal memory in schizophrenia: sex differences over repeated assessments

There is conflicting evidence regarding the presence and direction of gender differences in verbal memory capacity in schizophrenia. We examined gender differences in verbal memory performance in schizophrenia and their interactions with repeated assessments and psychiatric symptoms. California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) data were collected from 28 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. The CVLT was administered on five occasions, 3 months apart. CVLT data were examined using repeated measures analyses, using maximum likelihood estimates, with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores at assessments 1-5 as a time-varying covariate. There were significant main effects of time and gender, with scores improving over time, and women performing better than men. There was also a significant time by gender interaction. The BPRS covariate effect was not significant. Results are discussed in terms of implications for gender-informed approaches to rehabilitation treatments. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.