A comparative study of intertemporal choice in adolescents schizophrenic patients with positive and negative symptoms

Abstract

Objective To investigate the impairment of intertemporal choices in adolescents with positive and negative schizophrenic symptoms. Methods 30 adolescent schizophrenia patients with positive symptoms (positive symptoms group), 30 adolescent schizophrenia patients with negative symptoms (negative symptoms group)and 30 healthy controls were selected. All the subjects were investigated with intertemporal-choice Test. Results (1) Under now conditions ((37.22±30.92)%, (19.67±16.35)%, P 0.05). (2)Pearson correlation analysis showed that the Vocabulary Fluency Test of negative symptoms group was positively correlated with LL selection ratio under now conditions(r=0.411, P=0.024). Conclusion The ability of intertemporal choices in adolescents schizophrenia patients with negative symptoms is impaired remarkably, while this kind of ability is impaired unremarkable in adolescence with negative symptoms. The ability of intertemporal choices in adolescents schizophrenic patients with negative symptoms is correlated with cognitive executive function. Key words: Positive symptoms; Negative symptoms; Schizophrenia; Adolescents; Intertemporal-choice