The aim of the present study was to compare two samples of 30 male chronic schizophrenics, one drawn in 1972 and the other in 1984.

The issues include:

a. content of the treatment programs,

b. factors facilitating treatment-efficiency,

c. nursing behavior and

d. ratings of pathology and social functioning obtained from the patients.

Our study yielded evidence that the contents of the treatment program as well as the ratings on pathology, social functioning and apathy had remained unchanged over time.

At the same time, however, we found that the frequency of social interaction between nursing-staff and the patients had decreased dramatically. Curiously enough, the numer of telephones and staff-members had increased with at least 100%.

These findings led to the conclusion that the continuous dependancy on professional care found in the subjects as well as their high level of adjustment towards the institutional regulations may both to be due to the fact that the treatment hasn't been made tailor-suited to the needs of individual patients.