Gender differences in schizophrenia: The need for a psychosocial and formulation based analysis?

Abstract

A review of the literature on gender differences in people who experience schizophrenia identifies some interesting differences between women and men in terms of age of onset, premorbid functioning, level of symptomology and outcomes all are favourable towards women. If those differences are analysed using a psychosocial model of schizophrenia this provides a much richer analysis and a deeper understanding and potential explanation of these differences. Which in turn provides a clearer idea of the implications for Mental Health Nurses and other practitioners.