The Emotional Characteristics of Schizotypy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional traits and schizotypal symptoms and to establish a hypothetical model for the causal relationship between them. METHODS: Schizotypal symptoms were assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and a total of seven emotional traits considered to be potential risk factors for schizotypy were categorized as emotional disturbances, emotional attenuators or emotional amplifiers. A total of 502 undergraduate students completed the SPQ and other scales. RESULTS: The result of the present study suggested that the high levels of emotional disturbance in individuals who are prone to schizotypy or psychosis are amplified by their intensity and fluctuation. However, if their emotion attenuating abilities function well, these disturbances can be controlled and the schizotypal symptoms and progression to psychosis can be contained. Discriminant analysis showed that 69.0% of the subjects with many schizotypal symptoms and 80.7% of the subjects with few schizotypal symptoms were correctly classified. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests the possibility of using emotional traits to identify the risk factors for psychosis.

Influences of Affect States and Mood Congruent/Incongruent Variables on Psychosis-Proneness / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of affect states and mood congruent/incongruent variables in psychosis-proneness. METHODS: Five hundred and two undergraduate students completed the SPQ and other scales. Psychosis-proneness was measured by Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and affect states were measured by Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Mood congruent variables were measured by Mood reactivity in Mood Survey and Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), and mood incongruent variables were measured by Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), Emotional Inhibition and Aggression Control in Emotional Control Questionnaire (ECQ). RESULTS: By hierachical regression analysis, total 39.1% of SPQ total score variance was explained by emotion related variables. In detail, negative and positive affect states explained 26% of variance, and affect intensity and mood reactivity of mood-congruent variables added 7.7% and mood aware, emotional inhibition & aggression control among mood-incongruent variables added 5.5%. And emotion related variables explained 43.8% of negative symptom, 27.6% of positive symptom and 23.6% of disorganization score. CONCLUSION: Negative affect was revealed as important factor for psychosis-proneness, and positive affect acted as the reversed role. Mood reactivity and affect intensity acted as mood congruent variables which amplified and reinforced the influence of negative affect on psychosis-proneness. Mood aware, repair and aggression control acted as mood incongruent variables which modulated and reduce the influence of negative affect, while mood attention and emotional inhibition acted as mood congruent variables in contrast with the prediction.