Between May 1981 and June 1985, a social demographic inventory from 541 long term psychiatric patients was made. In this period, these patients were treated in an outpatient service.

We examined the possibility to distinguish patient groups that run a higher risk to become or stay chronic patients because of a vulnerable social position. The inventory implies to distinguish the following risk groups:

_ unemployed men (90%);

_ unmarried men between 20 and 30 years who are in a phase of life in which the social identity in profession and marriage has to be realised;

_ divorced women (25%) who are in a socially isolated position with poor financial possibilities;

_ women who only attended primary school (50%);

_ married women between 50 and 60 years who lose a part of their function when the grown-up children leave the family.