8. the ability to read (sixth grade level or higher) and speak fluent English. This is a study of early course schizophrenia, not first-episode schizophrenia. A duration of illness since first psychotic symptom of < 5 years is adequate to define the early phase of the illness, particularly given that the average duration of untreated psychosis is a year or more.76 Eligibility criteria regarding IQ are justified from previous experience with CET indicating that individuals with severe mental incapacity are better served with less cognitively advanced programs.