The effects of chronic psychosis on rivermead behavioral memory test performance

Abstract

The Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT) is an ecologically valid memory battery believed to have direct applicability to everyday functioning. Research with schizophrenic patients has shown that performance on the RBMT is significantly correlated with overall illness severity. However, the relationship between specific psychotic symptoms and the RBMT remains undefined. This study investigates the relationship between the RBMT and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Anchored (BPRS-A). Subjects were 28 chronically hospitalized schizophrenic, and schizoaffective patients. A factor analysis (N-195) suggested a six-factor model, representing conceptually distinct, and cognitively relevant dimensions underlying BPRS-A scores (64.3 % of total BPRS-A variance explained): I) Depression/Anxiety (19% variance explained), 2) Anergia (I 4%), 3) Delusions/Hallocinations (I ! .5%), 4) Hostility/Uncooperativehess (8%), 5) Conceptual Disorganization (6%), and 6) Tension/Mannerism (5.5%). Correlation of resultant factor scores with RBMT total raw score indicated that the conceptual disorganization factor is moderately related to RBMT performance (r--.49, p-.05, Bonferoni corrected). RBMT scores were not influenced by anergia (i.e., negative symptoms) or other BPRS-A factors in this sample. Data presented suggest that certain aspects of chronic psychosis (i.e., conceptual disorganization) are associated with diminished mnesic abilities. The nonsignificant correlation between RBMT performance and the anergia factor may be related to the preponderance of negative symptoms in our sample, thus, reducing the likelihood that this factor could covary with memory performance. Alternative, and perhaps more parsimonious factor models of BPRS-A performance need to be developed, and their relation to specific RBMT items explored.