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Andrade G. Mental Health and Religiosity Amongst Marialionceros in Venezuela. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2022; 61:269-285. [PMID: 34322860 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-021-01367-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although the religion of Maria Lionza is practiced throughout Venezuela, it is not in the mainstream of Venezuelan culture. As a result, traditionally this religious manifestation has been perceived negatively by the dominant religious establishment, as well as by intellectual and political elites. One particular concern in this dominant narrative is that the religion of Maria Lionza represents Venezuela's uncivilized past and therefore, it is an obstacle to the nation's path to modernization. This notion has found resonance in the realm of psychology, as it has been posited that the religion of Maria Lionza may have detrimental effects on mental health. The present study tests that hypothesis, by studying a sample of 68 Marialionceros and comparing them with a control group of 62 Catholics and 53 Protestants. Results show that, as compared to Catholics and Protestants, Marialionceros are at greater risk for schizotypy, but not for general mental health. Results also show that amongst Marialionceros, increased religiosity predicts decreased risk of depression.
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2
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Polner B, Faiola E, Urquijo MF, Meyhöfer I, Steffens M, Rónai L, Koutsouleris N, Ettinger U. The network structure of schizotypy in the general population. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 271:635-645. [PMID: 31646383 PMCID: PMC8119252 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-01078-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Schizotypal personality traits show similarity with schizophrenia at various levels of analysis. It is generally agreed that schizotypal personality is multidimensional; however, it is still debated whether impulsive nonconformity should be incorporated into theories and measurement of schizotypy. In addition, relatively little is known about the network structure of the four-dimensional model of schizotypal personality. To estimate the network structure of schizotypy, we used data from participants recruited from the community (N = 11,807) who completed the short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences, a widespread self-report instrument that assesses the positive, negative, disorganised and impulsive domains of schizotypy. We performed community detection, then examined differences between communities in terms of centralities and compared the strength of edges within and between communities. We found communities that almost perfectly corresponded to the a priori-defined subscales (93% overlap, normalised mutual information = 0.74). Items in the disorganisation community had higher closeness centrality relative to items in the other communities (Cliff's Δs ranged from 0.55 to 0.83) and weights of edges within the disorganisation community were stronger as compared to the negative schizotypy and impulsive nonconformity communities (Cliff's Δs = 0.33). Our findings imply that the inclusion of impulsive nonconformity items does not dilute the classical three-factor structure of positive, negative and disorganised schizotypy. The high closeness centrality of disorganisation concurs with theories positing that cognitive slippage and associative loosening are core features of the schizophrenic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertalan Polner
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Egry József utca 1., T épület, V. emelet 506, Budapest, 1111, Hungary.
| | - Eliana Faiola
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maria F Urquijo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Inga Meyhöfer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Münster University Hospital, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Maria Steffens
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany
| | - Levente Rónai
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Egry József utca 1., T épület, V. emelet 506, Budapest, 1111, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Egyetem u. 2, Szeged, 6722, Hungary
| | - Nikolaos Koutsouleris
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Ettinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany
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3
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Nenadić I, Meller T, Evermann U, Schmitt S, Pfarr JK, Abu-Akel A, Grezellschak S. Subclinical schizotypal vs. autistic traits show overlapping and diametrically opposed facets in a non-clinical population. Schizophr Res 2021; 231:32-41. [PMID: 33744683 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The overlap of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and psychosis or schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) has exposed problems central to conceptualising and understanding co-morbidity in psychiatric disorders. METHODS In the present study, we demonstrate that a deep phenotyping approach aids clarification of both overlapping and diametrically opposed features of ASD and SSD on the level of trait facets. RESULTS We first show overlap of negative and disorganised (but not positive) features of schizotypy with autistic traits in a sample of n = 376 German non-clinical subjects using multiple psychometric measures of schizotypy (MSS multidimensional schizotypy scale, OLIFE Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences, and SPQ-B schizotypal personality questionnaire - brief) and the AQ autism spectrum quotient, with control measures for affective spectrum pathology (BDI). Findings were then replicated in a French-Swiss sample (n = 264) using MSS, OLIFE, AQ, and in addition the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Additional principal component analysis confirmed our finding of the co-existence of both overlapping (loss of function, social communication deficit, and negative schizotypy) as well as diametrically opposed features (AQ attention to detail, positive schizotypy) across the two spectra. Results were validated with Horn's parallel analyses, affirming two component solutions, and PCA using sample-specific, factor-analysis-derived schizotypy scores. CONCLUSIONS Providing a framework for multi-dimensional transdiagnostic characterisation of ASD vs. SSD phenotypes we point out overlapping vs. discriminating facets. In addition to the use of novel multidimensional schizotypy scales, it also shows transcultural consistency of findings, and highlights a particular role for the attention to detail AQ subscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Nenadić
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany; Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Tina Meller
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Ulrika Evermann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Simon Schmitt
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Julia-Katharina Pfarr
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Abu-Akel
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Mouline, Géopolis, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Grezellschak
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany; Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany
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4
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Rodríguez-Ferreiro J, Aguilera M, Davies R. Semantic priming and schizotypal personality: reassessing the link between thought disorder and enhanced spreading of semantic activation. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9511. [PMID: 32821532 PMCID: PMC7396150 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The term schizotypy refers to a group of stable personality traits with attributes similar to symptoms of schizophrenia, usually classified in terms of positive, negative or cognitive disorganization symptoms. The observation of increased spreading of semantic activation in individuals with schizotypal traits has led to the hypothesis that thought disorder, one of the characteristics of cognitive disorganization, stems from semantic disturbances. Nevertheless, it is still not clear under which specific circumstances (i.e., automatic or controlled processing, direct or indirect semantic relation) schizotypy affects semantic priming or whether it does affect it at all. We conducted two semantic priming studies with volunteers varying in schizotypy, one with directly related prime-target pairs and another with indirectly related pairs. Our participants completed a lexical decision task with related and unrelated pairs presented at short (250 ms) and long (750 ms) stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). Then, they responded to the brief versions of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences, both of which include measures of cognitive disorganization. Bayesian mixed-effects models indicated expected effects of SOA and semantic relatedness, as well as an interaction between relatedness and directness (greater priming effects for directly related pairs). Even though our analyses demonstrated good sensitivity, we observed no influence of cognitive disorganization over semantic priming. Our study provides no compelling evidence that schizotypal symptoms, specifically those associated with the cognitive disorganization dimension, are rooted in an increased spreading of semantic activation in priming tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Rodríguez-Ferreiro
- Grup de Recerca en Cognició i Llenguatge, Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l’Educació, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mari Aguilera
- Grup de Recerca en Cognició i Llenguatge, Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l’Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rob Davies
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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5
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Torres MN, Barberia I, Rodríguez-Ferreiro J. Causal illusion as a cognitive basis of pseudoscientific beliefs. Br J Psychol 2020; 111:840-852. [PMID: 32040216 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Causal illusion has been proposed as a cognitive mediator of pseudoscientific beliefs. However, previous studies have only tested the association between this cognitive bias and a closely related but different type of unwarranted beliefs, those related to superstition and paranormal phenomena. Participants (n = 225) responded to a novel questionnaire of pseudoscientific beliefs designed for this study. They also completed a contingency learning task in which a possible cause, infusion intake, and a desired effect, headache remission, were actually non-contingent. Volunteers with higher scores on the questionnaire also presented stronger causal illusion effects. These results support the hypothesis that causal illusions might play a fundamental role in the endorsement of pseudoscientific beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta N Torres
- Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l'Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Itxaso Barberia
- Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l'Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Rodríguez-Ferreiro
- Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l'Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Grup de Recerca en Cognició i Llenguatge, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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6
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Fonseca-Pedrero E, Chan RCK, Debbané M, Cicero D, Zhang LC, Brenner C, Barkus E, Linscott RJ, Kwapil T, Barrantes-Vidal N, Cohen A, Raine A, Compton MT, Tone EB, Suhr J, Muñiz J, de Albéniz AP, Fumero A, Giakoumaki S, Tsaousis I, Preti A, Chmielewski M, Laloyaux J, Mechri A, Lahmar MA, Wuthrich V, Larøi F, Badcock JC, Jablensky A, Ortuño-Sierra J. Comparisons of schizotypal traits across 12 countries: Results from the International Consortium for Schizotypy Research. Schizophr Res 2018; 199:128-134. [PMID: 29567403 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizotypal traits are expressions of underlying vulnerability to psychotic disorders which have a potential impact on mental health status, neurocognition, quality of life, and daily functioning. To date, little research has examined epidemiologic landscape of schizotypal traits at the cross-national level. Our aim was to study the expression of schizotypal traits by sex, age, and country in a combined sample gathered from 12 countries. METHODS A total of 27,001 participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). The mean age of participants was 22.12 (SD=6.28); 37.5% (n=10,126) were males. RESULTS Schizotypal traits varied according to sex, age, and country. Females scored higher than males in the positive dimension, whereas males scored higher in the disorganization dimension. By age, a significant decrease in the positive schizotypal traits was observed. Epidemiological expression of schizotypal traits varied by country. Moreover, several interactions by sex, age, and country were found. CONCLUSIONS This pattern is similar to those found in patients with psychosis and psychotic-like experiences. These findings provide new insights and the opportunity to explore the phenotypic expression of schizotypal traits at cross-national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijng, China
| | - Martin Debbané
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK
| | - David Cicero
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
| | - Lisa C Zhang
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Colleen Brenner
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emma Barkus
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Kwapil
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA
| | - Neus Barrantes-Vidal
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, USA
| | - Adrian Raine
- Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Erin B Tone
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, USA
| | - Julie Suhr
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, USA
| | - José Muñiz
- Centro de Investigación en Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - Axit Fumero
- Department of Psychology, University of La Laguna, Spain
| | - Stella Giakoumaki
- Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymno, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioannis Tsaousis
- Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymno, Crete, Greece
| | | | | | - Julien Laloyaux
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center of Excellence for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, Norway; Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Anwar Mechri
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital of Monastir Monastir, Tunisia
| | | | - Viviana Wuthrich
- Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Frank Larøi
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, Cognitive Psychopathology Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Johanna C Badcock
- Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Assen Jablensky
- Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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7
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Fonseca-Pedrero E, Cohen A, Ortuño-Sierra J, de Álbeniz AP, Muñiz J. Dimensional Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief Revised (SPQ-BR) Scores Across American and Spanish Samples. J Pers Disord 2017; 31:522-541. [PMID: 27749189 DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2016_30_266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The main goal of the present study was to test the measurement equivalence of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief Revised (SPQ-BR) scores in a large sample of Spanish and American non-clinical young adults. The sample was made up of 5,625 young adults (M = 19.65 years; SD = 2.53; 38.5% males). Study of the internal structure, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), revealed that SPQ-BR items were grouped in a theoretical internal structure of nine first-order factors. Moreover, three or four second-order factor and bifactor models showed adequate goodness-of-fit indices. Multigroup CFA showed that the nine lower-order factor models of the SPQ-BR had configural and weak measurement invariance and partial strong measurement invariance across country. The reliability of the SPQ-BR scores, estimated with omega, ranged from 0.67 to 0.91. Using the item response theory framework, the SPQ-BR provides more accurate information at the medium and high end of the latent trait. Statistically significant differences were found in the raw scores of the SPQ-BR subscales and dimensions across samples. The American group scored higher than the Spanish group in all SPQ-BR domains except Ideas of Reference and Suspiciousness. The finding of comparable factor structure in cross-cultural samples would lend further support to the continuum model of psychosis spectrum disorders. In addition, these results provide new information about the factor structure of schizotypal traits and support the validity and utility of this measure in cross-cultural research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain.,Prevention Program for Psychosis (P3), Oviedo, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Alex Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Javier Ortuño-Sierra
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - José Muñiz
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
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8
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Fonseca-Pedrero E, Ortuño-Sierra J, de Álbeniz AP, Muñiz J, Cohen AS. A latent profile analysis of schizotypal dimensions: Associations with psychopathology and personality. Psychiatry Res 2017; 253:110-115. [PMID: 28364588 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The main goal of the present study was to explore the latent structure of schizotypal traits in non-clinical young adults, and compare the latent profiles in clinical and personality characteristics: mental distress, psychosis-proneness, hypomanic experiences, and anticipatory and consummatory pleasure. A large sample of college students (N =1002; mean age =21.11 years; SD =3.92) were administered the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief Revised, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences, the General Health Questionnaire-12, and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale. Using latent profile analysis, four latent classes (LC) were identified: "low schizotypy" (62.4%), "average schizotypy" (17.6%), "interpersonal schizotypy" (17.1%), and "high schizotypy" (2.9%). The "high schizotypy" class scored higher on most psychometric indicators of psychopathology and personality (i.e., mental distress, schizotypy, hypomanic experiences, and anticipatory and consummatory pleasure) relative to other three latent classes. The other three schizotypal latent profiles also varied in terms of these psychopathology and personality factors. The identification of homogeneous subgroups of individuals potentially at-risk for psychosis based on schizotypal latent profiles may improve early identification and prevention efforts aimed at reducing the burden associated with psychotic-spectrum disorders and mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, Spain; Prevention Program for Psychosis (P3), Spain; Center for Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM), Spain.
| | | | | | - José Muñiz
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM), Spain; Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Alex S Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, United States
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9
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Aynsworth C, Collerton D, Dudley R. Measures of visual hallucinations: Review and recommendations. Clin Psychol Rev 2017; 57:164-182. [PMID: 28844297 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies designed to investigate visual hallucinations (VH) require reliable and valid measures that can appropriately capture peoples' experiences. This review aimed to assess the psychometric rigour and usefulness of VH measures. METHOD A systematic literature search was carried out against inclusion criteria (e.g. more than one specific question on VH, measures for adults in clinical and non-clinical populations). Eighteen measures were identified and rated against an adapted evaluation grid, which included essential criteria such as clear purpose and definition, psychometric properties including reliability and validity, and appropriate exploration of visual hallucinations. RESULTS Measures could be categorised into 3 groups; those for general psychotic symptoms, those for all hallucinations, or those specifically for visual hallucinations. With one exception (the North East Visual Hallucinations Inventory), the measures were considered to be limited as they often targeted one population and hence lacked generalisability, or were limited in the characteristics of the visions that were described, or that psychometric properties were not adequately evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Measures of VH require further development. The need to establish a clearer definition of VH is essential to provide clarity and consistency within research and practice. Measures need to demonstrate good psychometric properties to indicate robustness whilst being sensitive to change to help in the evaluation of treatments. Other recommendations include developing cross-cultural measures and involving service users in item development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Aynsworth
- School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Collerton
- Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Bensham Hospital Gateshead, UK
| | - Robert Dudley
- School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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10
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Sierro G, Rossier J, Mohr C. Validation of the French Autism Spectrum Quotient scale and its relationships with schizotypy and Eysenckian personality traits. Compr Psychiatry 2016; 68:147-55. [PMID: 27234196 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism and schizophrenia spectra were long considered distinct entities. Yet, recent studies emphasized overlapping clinical and personality features suggesting common mechanisms and liabilities. Independent notions, however, highlight that the two spectra oppose each other socially (positive schizotypal hyper-mentalism versus autistic hypo-mentalism). METHODS To clarify these relationships, we used data from 921 French-speaking Swiss undergraduates to firstly validate the French Autism Spectrum Questionnaire (AQ) identifying an optimal factor structure. Secondly, we assessed relationships between this AQ structure and schizotypic personality traits. RESULTS Results from correlational and principal component analyses replicated both overlapping and opposing relationships. CONCLUSIONS We conjecture that autistic traits opposing positive schizotypy represent autistic mentalizing deficits. We discuss implications of our findings relative to theories of autism and schizophrenia spectrum relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Sierro
- University of Lausanne, Institute of Psychology, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jérôme Rossier
- University of Lausanne, Institute of Psychology, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christine Mohr
- University of Lausanne, Institute of Psychology, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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11
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Shaqiri A, Willemin J, Sierro G, Roinishvili M, Iannantuoni L, Rürup L, Chkonia E, Herzog MH, Mohr C. Does chronic nicotine consumption influence visual backward masking in schizophrenia and schizotypy? SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH-COGNITION 2015; 2:93-99. [PMID: 29114459 PMCID: PMC5609643 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine consumption is higher for people within the schizophrenia spectrum compared to controls. This observation supports the self-medication hypothesis, that nicotine relieves symptoms in, for example, schizophrenia patients. We tested whether performance in an endophenotype of schizophrenia (visual backward masking, VBM) is modulated by nicotine consumption in i) smoking and non-smoking schizophrenia patients, their first-degree relatives, and age-matched controls, ii) non-smoking and smoking university students, and iii) non-smoking, early and late onset nicotine smokers. Overall, our results confirmed that VBM deficits are an endophenotype of schizophrenia, i.e., deficits were highest in patients, followed by their relatives, students scoring high in Cognitive Disorganisation, and controls. Moreover, we found i) beneficial effects of chronic nicotine consumption on VBM performance, in particular with increasing age, and ii) little impact of clinical status alone or in interaction with nicotine consumption on VBM performance. Given the younger age of undergraduate students (up to 30 years) versus controls and patients (up to 66 years), we propose that age-dependent VBM deficits emerge when schizotypy effects are targeted in populations of a larger age range, but that nicotine consumption might counteract these deficits (supporting the self-medication hypothesis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Albulena Shaqiri
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Tel: + 41 21 693 2772; fax: + 41 21 69 31749.
| | - Julie Willemin
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Bâtiment Geopolis, Quartier Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Guillaume Sierro
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Bâtiment Geopolis, Quartier Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maya Roinishvili
- Institute of Cognitive Neurosciences, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Luisa Iannantuoni
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Bâtiment Geopolis, Quartier Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Linda Rürup
- Institute for Psychology and Cognition Research, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Eka Chkonia
- Institute of Cognitive Neurosciences, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry, Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Michael H. Herzog
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christine Mohr
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Bâtiment Geopolis, Quartier Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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