Rust Inventory Of Schizotypal Cognitions Research Articles

Examining the continuum of psychosis: Frequency and characteristics of psychotic-like symptoms in relatives and non-relatives of patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundA key finding underlying the continuum of psychosis concept is the presence of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in healthy subjects. However, it remains uncertain to what extent these experiences are related to the genetic risk for schizophrenia and how far they actually resemble attenuated forms of psychotic symptoms. MethodsForty-nine adults with no history of mental illness in first-degree relatives and 59 siblings of patients with schizophrenia were rated on the psychosis section of the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule IV (C DIS-IV) and the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC). Those who rated positive on the CDIS-IV were re-interviewed using the lifetime version of the Present State Examination 9th edition (PSE-9) and the Structured interview for Schizotypy (SIS). ResultsSeventeen (34.69%) of the non-relatives and 22 (37.29%) of the relatives responded positively to one or more of the psychosis questions on the DIS. This difference was not significant. RISC scores were also similar between the groups. At follow-up interview with the PSE-9, 13/40 PLEs (32.50%) in the non-relatives were classified as possible or probable psychotic symptoms compared to 11/46 (23.91%) in the relatives. Using liberal symptom thresholds, 5 of those who attended the follow-up interview (2 non-relatives and 3 relatives) met SIS criteria for schizotypal personality disorder. ConclusionsRates of PLEs, however considered, do not differ substantially between relatives and non-relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Only a minority of PLEs picked up by screening interviews resemble attenuated forms of psychotic symptoms.

Schizotypy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dopamine genes

Previous research has suggested that there may be overlap between schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The relationship between schizotypal personality traits, ADHD features and polymorphisms was evaluated in dopamine-related genes. Thirty-one healthy, Caucasian men completed the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) and the ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met, dopamine receptors of the D3 type (DRD3) Ser9Gly, DRD4 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR), and SLC6A3 VNTR polymorphisms were analyzed. RISC score was correlated with ASRS score (r = 0.54, P = 0.003). COMT Met homozygotes had higher ASRS scores than Val homozygotes (P = 0.005). These findings are consistent with evidence of overlap between schizophrenia and ADHD and support an involvement of COMT genotype in ADHD features.

Saccadic eye movements, schizotypy, and the role of neuroticism

We investigated the relationships of anti- and prosaccades with psychometric schizotypy. One aim was to estimate the role of negative emotionality and general psychopathology (i.e. neuroticism) in this relationship. 115 non-clinical volunteers underwent infrared oculographic assessment of antisaccades and prosaccades. Schizotypy was assessed with the Personality Syndrome Questionnaire (PSQ-80), the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) Psychoticism. Higher positive schizotypy scores predicted increased antisaccade errors (RISC) and greater prosaccade spatial error (PSQ-80 Unreality). Greater thought disorder (PSQ-80 Activity) predicted shorter prosaccade latencies. EPQ-R Neuroticism was substantially correlated with schizotypy but was not related to saccadic measures and did not account for their relationship with schizotypy. We conclude that saccadic performance patterns in schizotypy are not due to negative emotionality or general psychopathology, but specific to schizophrenia spectrum signs and symptoms.

Saccadic eye movements, schizotypy, and the role of neuroticism

We investigated the relationships of anti- and prosaccades with psychometric schizotypy. One aim was to estimate the role of negative emotionality and general psychopathology (i.e. neuroticism) in this relationship. 115 non-clinical volunteers underwent infrared oculographic assessment of antisaccades and prosaccades. Schizotypy was assessed with the Personality Syndrome Questionnaire (PSQ-80), the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) Psychoticism. Higher positive schizotypy scores predicted increased antisaccade errors (RISC) and greater prosaccade spatial error (PSQ-80 Unreality). Greater thought disorder (PSQ-80 Activity) predicted shorter prosaccade latencies. EPQ-R Neuroticism was substantially correlated with schizotypy but was not related to saccadic measures and did not account for their relationship with schizotypy. We conclude that saccadic performance patterns in schizotypy are not due to negative emotionality or general psychopathology, but specific to schizophrenia spectrum signs and symptoms.

Self-rated schizotypal cognitions, psychotic symptoms and the onset of schizophrenia in young people at high risk of schizophrenia.

To examine the associations between the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) and psychotic symptoms measured by the Present State Examination (PSE) and to assess the predictive validity of the RISC for later onset of schizophrenia. A total of 154 subjects at high risk for schizophrenia but who were currently well, 35 well controls and 28 first episode schizophrenic patients were assessed on specified PSE symptoms and completed the RISC. A subsample of the high risk group was subsequently monitored for onset of schizophrenia over 39 months. RISC scores at entry were significantly higher in subjects with psychotic symptoms on PSE. There were indications that high scorers on the RISC were likely to develop schizophrenia. However, less than half of those falling ill exhibited high RISC scores on entry. The RISC scale is highly associated with presence of psychotic symptoms on PSE and high scorers may be at increased risk of schizophrenia onset.

Schizotypal traits, attention and eye movements

1. 1. Subjects demonstrating high, average, or low schizotypal traits participated in saccade tasks of eye movements and attention including: a simple saccade task, an antisaccade task, and/or a cued saccade task measuring both facilitatory effects of cuing and inhibition of return (IOR). 2. 2. Subjects were recruited based on their scores on the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) and then were given Raine's Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) (1991). 3. 3. Subjects scoring high in schizotypy demonstrated increased errors on the voluntary eye movement task (antisaccade task) ( p < 0.05). Performance on the reflexive saccade task was not impaired in high compared to low schizotypals, but may have been enhanced as demonstrated by a negative correlation between scores on the SPQ and performance on this task. For the cued saccade task, there were no overall differences in cueing effects between schizotypal groups, however there was a laterality difference between low versus high scoring schizotypal subjects. 4. 4. These results indicate distinct differences in tasks of overt orienting (saccade and antisaccade tasks) and covert orienting tasks (cued saccade task). The patterns of performance by our schizotypy subjects, including impaired voluntary saccade, enhanced reflexive saccade, and lateralized performance on the cued saccade task, are consistent with the performance of schizophrenic patient populations. Thus, our study supports the previous findings of a physiological relationship between schizotypal personality and schizophrenia.

Nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and schizotypy

Schizophrenics are known to be heavy smokers. It has also been reported that in a normal population smoking is associated with higher scores on scales of schizotypy. The present study investigated the use of nicotine as related to scores on a positive symptoms scale of schizotypy. 285 undergraduate students at Rutgers University completed the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) in addition to a questionnaire regarding smoking habits, caffeine and alcohol use. Results showed a relationship between schizotypy and the use nicotine, and also the use of caffeine and alcohol. Use of the stimulants caffeine and nicotine were associated with higher RISC scores, whereas low stimulant users (nonsmoking, low caffeine users) scored the lowest on the administered scale of schizotypy. The effects of both stimulants were not additive, as demonstrated by a significant interaction between nicotine and caffeine use. The use of alcohol, a CNS depressant, showed the opposite relationship, with increasing alcohol use associated with lower RISC scores. The relationship between schizotypy and increased use of stimulants and decreased use of depressants is discussed.

Psychometric testing: clinical, behavioural and psychodynamic uses of two psychometric tests ‐BHS and RISC

Poses the question: does psychometric testing have a role within counselling? States that many advocate the true face of counselling as humanistic, which poses a problem for the use of psychometric tests. States that in a counsellor’s first meeting with a client, some form of assessment or evaluation takes place in order to inform the counsellor of the severity of the client’s problem. Briefly details various early tests, and continues by focusing on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC). Describes both scales: applies their uses in clinical settings; outlines behavioural and psychodynamic uses of these tests; illustrates effectiveness through a number of case studies and vignettes. Concludes that it is up to the individual counsellors how they choose to conduct a counselling sessions, or whether they use such psychometric tests.

Pregnancy and Birth Complications: A Risk Factor For Schizotypy

An excess of pregnancy and birth complications (PBCs) in the births of schizophrenics suggests the hypothesis of a similar excess of PBCs in the births of schizotypal subjects. The Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) and an inventory of pregnancy and birth complications were administered to 499 university undergraduates (171 male, 328 female). Schizotypal subjects, defined as those scoring in the upper decile of scores on the RISC inventory, reported significantly (p < .002) more PBCs than nonschizotypal Ss. In a multiple regression analysis, the individual PBCs most predictive of schizotypy were breathing problems or need for oxygen (p = .006), artificial induction of labor (p = .028), and breech birth (p - .047). These findings are consistent with a neurodevelopmental risk model for the etiology of schizotypy.

SCHIZOTYPAL THINKING AMONG MEMBERS OF OCCULT SECTS

Schizotypal thinking among members of occult groups was investigated using the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC). It was found that the members of almost all sects have atypical scores. However, a discriminant functions analysis of the RISC items among the sects indicated that there were two significant functions which differentiated sect members from normals and from each other. This suggested a classification of occult groups into two types with respect to cognitive style. Type I cults are characterized by devotion to a divine authority and obedience to its designs, as interpreted by the sect leader. Type II cults are characterized by a shared investigation of magical or paranormal phenomena, usually associated with an idiosyncratic or illogical spiritual philosophy.

Concurrent validity for the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions

The present study evaluated the concurrent validity of the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) using the MMPI and the Psychosis Proneness Scales. Multiple regression techniques applied to the RISC and the other measures employed offer support for the validity of this measures as a screening instrument for use in non-clinical samples.

Religiosity, schizotypal thinking, and schizophrenia.

The relationship between religiosity and the incidence of schizotypal thinking was investigated in a normal sample and in acute and chronic schizophrenic samples. The Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions was administered to measure schizotypal thinking, and two religiosity measures were developed. Religiosity had a significantly negative relationship with schizotypal thinking in normal subjects, while in schizophrenic patients the relationship was positive and significantly different. It is suggested that the process of existential growth of awareness in the normal development of religious belief, which is thought to be associated with schizotypal thinking, may have proceeded differently in persons suffering from schizophrenia.

Personality dimensions through the schizophrenia borderline.

While the schizoid dimension of personality has often been thought to be unitary, it has recently been suggested that several dimensions may be involved. In this study two separately derived normal population personality scales from within the psychoticism domain, the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), a scale designed to measure the positive cognitive schizotypal dimension, and the Eysencks' P scale from within the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, were administered to a group of 608 Venezuelan university students. It was found that the RISC and the EPQ had only a small correlation of 0.12. It was concluded that at least two dimensions were involved in the schizophrenic/normal spectrum, and that the EPQ Psychoticism scale was in fact measuring a dimension of personality disorder rather than a general factor of psychoticism.

SCHIZOTYPAL ESTIMATORS IN ADOLESCENCE: THE CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF THE RISC

The validation of questionnaires intended to identify the position of a subject along a normal/schizotypal/schizophrenic continuum has always been problematic. Schizophrenic patients are not good at completing questionnaire, and validation has to depend on the identification of “at risk“ groups. Watt Grubb &amp; Elenmeyer-Kimling (1982) found that the adolescent offspring of schizophrenics show the negative schizophrenic symptomology of interpersonal disharmony and emotional instability. The study reported here, using a sample of 174 adolescents of both sexes, considers the validity of the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), a psychometric questionnaire for the positive cognitive symptoms of the schizotypal personality. It is shown that the negative schizophrenic symptoms of social dysfunction and emotional instability as measured by the Minnesota Counselling Inventory are positively and significantly correlated with positive schizotypal symptomology as measured by the RISC.

The Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC)

The Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) is a new, psychometrically constructed, short questionnaire for assessing the schizotypal cognitions associated with the positive symptoms of acute schizophrenia. It differs from previous scales in having been developed and standardized with special attention to normal distribution in the general population, and in emphasizing cognitive content rather than cognitive deficit. The scale has good reliability and validity, and it can clearly discriminate acute schizophrenic subjects from normal subjects. Although containing no obviously extreme items, the scale, in its cumulative effect, may be used to identify bizarre and eccentric thought patterns, and as an estimate of risk in the general population for schizotypal symptoms phenomenologically related to acute schizophrenia.