Early Onset Schizophrenia and School Social Work

Schizophrenia, while most commonly adult onset, does occasionally occur in children and adolescents. Youths appropriately diagnosed with schizophrenia tend to have significantly lower school success and face more daily academic challenges which can be insurmountable. This article reviews prevalence rates, controversies associated with diagnosis, and school and social problems that youths with schizophrenia confront in the context of classifications, symptoms and course of childhood onset of schizophrenia. Implications for school social workers are discussed.