Whitaker Index Of Schizophrenic Thinking Research Articles

Typicality range deficit in schizophrenics' recognition of emotion in faces.

Severity of thought disorder in schizophrenics was assessed by a task that involved recognition of joy and shame expression, with the expressions varied for typicality of the emotion category. Accuracy, typicality rating, and reaction time were measured in schizophrenic patients who were high or low on Whitaker's Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) and in depressive and normal controls. All groups had significant variation of typicality ratings for joy (normal typicality range), but the clinical groups had smaller typicality ranges for shame recognition and higher mean typicality ratings than did normals. High WIST schizophrenics were least accurate on low typical shame expressions. Results imply that, for shame recognition, schizophrenic and depressive groups used common categorization (no typicality variation in category members) rather than resemblance categorization.

Discrimination between and among schizophrenics and other pathologies using a Spanish version of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking.

A Spanish version of Forms A and B of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) was administered to two sets of subjects. In the first study, the WIST was administered to 147 subjects of both sexes grouped into one of six categories: acute paranoid schizophrenic, acute nonparanoid schizophrenic, chronic paranoid schizophrenic, chronic nonparanoid schizophrenic, normal, and university student. Results revealed significant group differences; schizophrenics scored significantly higher. Further, chronic schizophrenics, regardless of the existence of paranoia, scored higher than acute subjects. In the second study, a heterogenous group of schizophrenics was compared to heroin addicts and depressed subjects (total N = 93). Significant group differences again were noted; the schizophrenics scored higher than the two other clinical samples.

Standardization of the Whitaker index of schizophrenic thinking (WIST) in a Mexican population: A multivariable study

This study reports a study of Spanish translation of Form A of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) administered to 104 Mexican subjects: 40 schizophrenic (20 acute and 20 chronic) and 64 nonschizophrenic (10 nonschizophrenic hospitalized, 10 alcoholics, and 44 normals). A multiple regression analysis was carried out in order to evaluate the existing relation between each of the MMPI and WIST forms. The results suggest that this translation effectively discriminates between schizophrenics and nonschizophrenics on the WIST Total Score, Time, and Index. A cut-off of 23 on the WIST Index correctly identified 79% of the total subjects. The WIST, as well as the MMPI, separately detects in a reliable way schizophrenic subjects, but the correlation between the Index of the WIST and the MMPI 8 or schizophrenia scale by itself is not significant.

A comparative clinical investigation of the "How" and "Charlie" MMPI subtypes.

We studied the thought and affective disturbance of Megargee and Bohn's (1979) most psychopathological Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) subtypes, the "How" and "Charlie" profiles. 75 subjects, consisting of three groups of How and Charlie subtypes in inpatient and outpatient forensic settings and two control groups, are tested using the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results indicate both How and Charlie subtypes have mild formal thought disorder, with the former showing greater variance of thought disorder. Charlie subtypes, however, are more angry, less depressed, more vigorous, and more constricted and defensive than the How subtypes. We conclude that the How subtype needs further actuarial refinement to be diagnostically useful.

Schizophrenic thinking and neuroleptic dosage

Three groups (N = 60) of schizophrenics (with varying levels of chronicity and drug dosages) were administered the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking, the Mini-Mental State, and the Self-Conscious Scale. The results indicated that no differences existed between the chronic and acute groups on the dependent measures. Furthermore, no significant differences emerged between 21 of the acute patients who were discharged and 9 patients of the acute group who were not discharged (follow-up). No significant differences on any of the dependent measures were observed when subjects were grouped according to level of schizophrenic thinking and of neuroleptic dose. Also, no relationship between neuroleptic drug dosage and thinking for any of the three groups was observed.

The measurement of schizophrenic conceptualization using a spanish translation of the whitaker index of Schizophrenic Thinking

The Spanish translation of Form A of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) was administered to 50 schizophrenic (25 acute; 25 chronic) and 50 (25 = depressives; 25 = normals) nonschizophrenic residents of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Results suggest that this translation effectively discriminated between schizophrenics and non-schizophrenics on the WIST total score, time, and index. A cut-off of 25 on the WIST index correctly classified 98% of the schizophrenic volunteers.

Convergent and discriminant validity of the WIST.

Tested the ability of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST): (1) to distinguish schizophrenics from nonschizophrenics (N = 30); (2) to agree with clinically rated severity of thought disorder; and (3) to correlate with a measure of generalized cognitive deficit. The WIST was not found to discriminate accurately schizophrenics from nonschizophrenics, but was found to agree strongly with the Shipley Institute of Living Scale, a measure of generalized cognitive dysfunction. Finally, clinically rated estimates of schizophrenic thinking (i.e., conceptual disorganization, unusual thought content) failed to predict WIST Index. The WIST appears to be primarily a measure of generalized deficit.

Application of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking to a non-english-speaking population.

The Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) is a pencil-and-paper test in two versions: An affectively toned and an affectively neutral version. The WIST is designed to capture various aspects of schizophrenic thinking and to distinguish it from normal cognition. The WIST was developed in the United States for use with an English-speaking population. For the research reported here, conducted in West Germany, the WIST was rendered into German and administered to patients diagnosed as acute (N = 10) and chronic schizophrenic (N = 10) patients and to groups of psychiatric (N = 10) and normal (N = 40) controls. The index values on the WIST differentiated the performance of the two schizophrenic groups from normal controls. Further, acute patients (unlike chronic schizophrenic patients) improved significantly from one test administration to the second. These results replicate WIST definition of schizophrenic thinking, which is based on nonlinguistic, cognitive variables, and the applicability of the WIST for cross-cultural diagnosis are discussed.

Detection of brain-damage in schizophrenics as measured by the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking and the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery.

Neuropsychological performance of schizophrenics with and without brain-damage was measured by the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking and the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. Inpatient volunteers (11 brain-damaged and 15 non-brain-damaged) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were administered both tests individually. Results indicated that 8 of the 14 summary scales of the Luria-Nebraska but none of the 5 scores on the Whitaker differentiated between groups. While cognitive variables as measured by the Whitaker may be further impaired with organicity, other variables measured by the Luria-Nebraska were more effective in differentiating between groups.

Thought disorder in hospitalized alcoholics.

In order to assess the occurrence and persistence of thought disorder in patients in an alcoholism treatment program, a sample of 81 males were tested at the beginning of treatment and again after 4 weeks. The Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) was used as the indicator of thought disorder, with the following results: (1) the presence of thought disorder, in both the initial testing and the retesting; (2) a mildly significant reduction in impairment scores over the 4-week period; and (3) only a small proportion of the sample (11% of the initial testing and 17% of the second) evidencing no thought disorder. The implication for planning treatment is that complex, cognitive interventions may be ineffective in groups of alcoholic patients, even when the patients have been "detoxed."

The minimax problem of Personal Construct organization and schizophrenic thought disorder.

The minimax problem states that optimal construct organization involves two limiting levels of "too many" and "too few" available construct, dimensions for flexible, accurate discrimination of interpersonal events. Measures of thought disorder derived from personal construct theory, such as the Bannister-Fransella Grid, detect only "too many" constructs. The present study (N = 60) hypothesized that Ss with the least and most number of Functionally Independent Constructs (FIC) would evidence more thinking errors characteristic of a schizophrenic thought disorder than would Ss between the minimum and maximum groups. A grid form of the Role Construct Repertory Technique and the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST; Forms A & B) were administered to 60 psychiatric inpatients. FIC scores were used to assign the Ss to five levels of construct organization and WIST scores served as the dependent variable. Two WIST scores confirmed the experimental hypothesis.

Differentiation of schizophrenics with and without brain damage using the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking.

Assessed the efficacy of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking, Form A, in differentiating schizophrenics with and without brain damage. Two groups of 26 state hospital residents each were selected on the basis of evidence of schizophrenia and (or lack of evidence) of brain damage. Results indicated that at least one subtest, total time, and Index significantly discriminated between groups. Additionally, a cut-off index reliably discriminated schizophrenics with brain damage. Discussed were implications for diagnosis and treatment of the populations examined as well as the relationship between brain dysfunction and cognitive processes of schizophrenia.

WIST predictions of brain damage: a follow-up to Albott and Gilbert.

As a continuation of diagnostic issues raised by Albott and Gilbert (1973), the present study is an examination of the relative strengths and limitations of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) as an indicator of brain damage (N = 59). Specifically, the WIST demonstrated power to avoid false predictions of brain damage and accuracy in predicting brain damage when WIST "signs" are present. A substantial proportion of false negative predictions (no brain damage) indicates that the WIST is not a "test of/for organicity."

A validation study of forms A and B of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking.

Hospitalized psychiatric patients (n = 115) completed either Form A or Form B of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking, along with the Beck Depression Inventory, State Anxiety Inventory, and the MMPI. Only error scores on the WIST were calculated in an effort to assess validity of the WIST for use in group testing situations where individual timing and administration is cumbersome. Results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of Form A where significant correlations were found with measures of thought disorder (MMPI F, Pt, Sc and Pa) but not with indices of other symptomatology, such as depression and anxiety. Form B did not show such validity, with only one significant correlation with other measures (MMPI Pd). Both WIST Forms correctly identified nonschizophrenics (76% for Form A and 73% for Form B) more often than schizophrenics (57% for each form). Also, Form A was found to be negatively related to years of education. Suggestions for further research on the influence of intelligence and social class variables on WIST scores were made. Overall, Form A emerged as the most valid WIST form, with suggestions for its clinical use being offered.

The validity of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking.

The Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking was designed to address an important clinical and research problem--the objective assessment of thought disorder. The present study assessed this test's convergent and discriminant validity and its diagnostic discriminating power (N = 56). We found that the WIST has limited clinical utility as a specific measure of disordered thought and as a diagnostic tool, but that it might still have certain important research applications.

Relationship between the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking and intelligence in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Relationship between the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking and intelligence in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Relationship between the Whitaker Index of schizophrenic thinking and intelligence in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Relationship between the Whitaker Index of schizophrenic thinking and intelligence in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Randomness and the “streaking” phenomenon: Attentional anomalies in performance on the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST)

Examined in detail the performance of 36 hospitalized male schizophrenics on the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST). Results indicated two interesting phenomena. First, the performance of patients with the highest level of cognitive deficit approached a random level of responding with respect to both the type of error made and the propensity to improve after an error. Second, a subgroup of these highly impaired Ss, identified as "streakers," displayed periods of virtually error-free responding, interspersed with periods of extremely impaired performance. The streaking phenomenon, as well as the tendency toward randomness, was discussed in terms of attentional anomalies.

Schizophrenic and paranoid thinking in conceptual performance

Thirty-two hospitalized patients diagnosed as schizophrenic were assigned in equal numbers to four groups on the basis of their scores on the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) and the paranoid (Pa) scale of the MMPI. Subjects attempted to solve two conceptformation problems in which they were to identify relevant stimulus attributes, under two levels of demand on their memories for previous stimuli. Only in conjunction with a low score on the Pa scale did the schizophrenic index predict a conceptual deficit. Only the high-WIST, low-Pa group differed significantly from a control group of normal subjects. This result qualifies earlier research concerning the power of the WIST to predict logical performance. No difference was found between the two levels of memory demand.

The Discriminative Validity of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking

An attempt was made to assess the discriminative validity of the WIST with a sample of psychiatric inpatients. Through the use of a standardized structured interview and a diagnostic system for schizophrenia based on the use of discriminant function analysis with nonpathognomic symptom combinations, a reliable and valid system was used to establish the criterion diagnosis. Approximately 63% of patients reliably diagnosed as schizophrenic were detected via the WIST while only 14% of nonschizophrenic patients scored in the schizophrenic range on the WIST. The assets and liabilities of using the WIST to diagnose schizophrenia are discussed.