Objectives:The purpose of this study was to find the emotional characteristics in patients with schizophrenia, and the relationship between the emotional variables and schizophrenic symptoms.
Methods:47 patients with schizophrenia and 52 normal controls were recruited. We compared the various emotional scale scores between two groups using the Positive affect and negative affect schedule, Ambivalence over emotional expressiveness scale, Rosenberg self esteem scale, Physical/social anhedonia scale. In addition, the correlations were counted between the various scale scores and the subscales of the positive and negative syndrome scale.
Results:There was no significant differences between the schizophrenia group and the control group in Positive and negative affect schedule score. However, Self-esteem scale scores in the patient group were lower than those of the control group. Ambivalence over Emotional expressiveness Questionnaire scores and Physical/social anhedonia scale scores in the patient group were higher than those of the control group. In the correlations between emotional characteristics and symptom factors in patients with schizophrenia, Positive affect schedule scores were positively correlated with the positive symptom factor, and Negative affect schedule scores were negatively correlated with the positive and negative symptom factors. In addition, Physical anhedonia scale scores were positively correlated with the relational factors.
Conclusion:According to the results of this study, we confirmed the ambivalent and anhedonic features in the emotional characteristics of patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, this study suggest that the emotional deficits of schizophrenia were related to positive symptom, negative symptom and relation deficits. (Schizophrenia Clinics 2005;8:30-36) |