Abstract
BackgroundSchizotypy is considered to assess psychosis-proneness in terms of a rather stable (personality) trait. For the psychometric assessment of schizotypal traits, the Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales (WSS) are widely used. They consist of four subscales, Physical Anhedonia, Social Anhedonia, Perceptual Aberration and Magical Ideation. The latter 2 positive scales were reported to load on the same factor as delusion- and perception-related attenuated positive symptoms that are used to define a clinical high risk (CHR) state. Results from non-clinical samples showed relatively good invariance of the WSS across time. Yet, it is unknown, if a CHR state influences report on WSS and if the stability of schizotypy measures is equally good in a clinical sample.MethodsThis was examined in naturalistic follow-up data of an early detection of psychosis service in Switzerland (N=30 at the time of writing). At baseline (t0), the mean age of the sample was 19 ± 5 years and 45% were male and the mean follow-up duration was 16 ± 10 months (range 5–42 months).ResultsAnalyses indicated a change in risk status at first follow-up (t1) in 59% (42% decrease, 17% increase of risk), yet Friedman tests revealed no significant differences in WSS mean sum scores for each subscale between t0 and t1: Physical Anhedonia 16.74 vs. 15.23 (χ2(1)=2.133, p=.144), Social Anhedonia 13.81 vs. 12.61 (Chi2(1)=3.0, p=.083), Perceptual Aberration 5.81 vs. 5.19 (Chi2(1)=2.286, p=.131), Magical Ideation 6.48 vs. 6.19 (Chi2(1)=0, p=1.0).DiscussionThese preliminary results indicate that, even in the presence of significant changes in CHR symptomatology, schizotypy scores seem to be relatively stable over time and therefore strengthen the assumption of schizotypy as a trait marker.
Highlights
Coercive psychiatric care in Sweden has been criticized by the UN and alternative therapies are called for upon from Swedish politicians
Preliminary results from the first five interviews suggest that the action plan facilitates shared decision making and encourages safety measures, and compulsory inpatient care can be avoided
Preliminary findings suggest that the Early Signs Action Plan seemed to be a useful tool to im-prove patient participation and reduce the need for compulsory inpatient care when exacerbations occur
Summary
The Self-Evaluation of Negative Symptoms (SNS), a 20-item self-rating scale,was developed to assess the subjective experience of negative symptoms by schizophrenia patients. The patients included in the study were stable outpatients with high levels of functioning as compared to lower functioning patients. It remains to be explored whether patients with lower levels of functioning are able to identify their negative symptoms in a reliable fashion. The aim of the present study was to first evaluate the reliability of the novel tool of self-evaluation of Negative Symptoms (SNS) and to examine its correlation with observer ratings of negative symptoms in a sample of inpatients with ICD 10 schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder who function at a low level of overall cognition.
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