Ralph's older brother was recently diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Ralph, who is 16, is convinced that he, too, will develop Schizophrenia when he gets a little older because he's heard that Schizophrenia is due to "bad genes". What are Ralph's actual chances for developing Schizophrenia?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While Schizophrenia does have a genetic component, it's not a guarantee that someone with a family member who has the disorder will also develop it. The risk for the general population is around 1%, and having a sibling with Schizophrenia increases the risk to around 10%. Therefore, Ralph's chances of developing Schizophrenia are around 10%, not 50% or 90%.

Ralph's Older Brother Was Recently Diagnosed with Schizophrenia