Western Australian Family Study of Schizophrenia (WAFSS)
The WAFSS was initiated in 1996 to comprehensively assess families with at least one member affected with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The cohort included over 1,400 participants of European descent in Western Australia, comprising individuals with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (participants), first-degree relatives of the participants, unrelated controls, and individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses. Participants were assessed from 1996 to 2017 with comprehensive cognitive, diagnostic, neurological, biological, and personality measurements.
Study design
Cohort - clinical, Cohort - open
Number of participants at first data collection
309 (first-degree relatives)
424 (unrelated controls)
177 (individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses)
591 (participants)
Age at first data collection
Varied (participants)
Participant year of birth
Varied (participants)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1996
Primary Institutions
University of Western Australia (UWA)
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS)
Ongoing?
No
Data types collected
- Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
- Interview – face-to-face
- Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
- None
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- None
Engagement
Keywords
