Ma 2009a.

Methods	Allocation: randomised, no further details. Blindness: unclear. Duration: eight weeks. Design: parallel. Setting: outpatient, China.
Participants	Diagnosis: schizophrenia (CCMD‐3). PANSS of 60 or more. N = 98. Age: 18～55 years, mean = (32 ± 18.79) years. Gender: 43 male, 55 female. History: not reported. Age at onset not reported.
Interventions	1. Aripiprazole: Dose range: 5‐20 mg/day. Mean dose: not reported. N = 49. 2. Risperidone: Dose range: 1‐5 mg/day. Mean dose: not reported. N = 49.
Outcomes	Global state: PANSS score decreased rate (recovery: ≥ 75%, markedly improved: 50%‐75%, improved: 25%‐50%, no effect: < 25%). Mental state: PANSS total score, PANSS positive subscale score, PANSS negative subscale score, PANSS general psychogenic pathological subscale score. Adverse effect. Unable to use ‐ Adverse effects: TESS total score, tremor, dry mouth, dystonia, use of benzhexol, benzodiazepine and propranolol (no data) .
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Randomised, no further details.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Not reported.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Unclear if outcome was assessed blindly.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	There were no incomplete data.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	Data of TESS total score, tremor, dry mouth, dystonia, use of benzhexol, benzodiazepine and propranolol were missing.
Other bias	Low risk	None obvious.