Browsing by Subject "Schizotypy"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing a novel compassion and metacognition approach for schizotypal personality disorder with a combination of cognitive therapy and psychopharmacological treatment
    (BMC, 2023-02-20) Cheli, Simone; Cavalletti, Veronica; Lysaker, Paul H.; Dimaggio, Giancarlo; Petrocchi, Nicola; Chiarello, Francesca; Enzo, Consuelo; Velicogna, Francesco; Mancini, Francesco; Goldzweig, Gil; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Background: Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of maladaptive behavior that has been associated with the liability for schizophrenia. Little is known about effective psychosocial interventions. This pilot non-inferiority randomized controlled trial aimed to compare a novel form of psychotherapy tailored for this disorder and a combination of cognitive therapy and psychopharmacological treatment. The former treatment - namely, Evolutionary Systems Therapy for Schizotypy-integrated evolutionary, metacognitively oriented, and compassion focused approaches. Methods: Thirty-three participants were assessed for eligibility, twenty-four randomized on a 1:1 ratio, nineteen included in the final analysis. The treatments lasted 6 months (24 sessions). The primary outcome was change across nine measurements in personality pathology, the secondary outcomes were remission from diagnosis and pre-post changes in general symptomatology and metacognition. Results: Primary outcome suggested a non-inferiority of the experimental treatment in respect to control condition. Secondary outcomes reported mixed results. There was no significant difference in terms of remission, but experimental treatment showed a larger reduction of general symptomatology (η2 = 0.558) and a larger increase in metacognition (η2 = 0.734). Conclusions: This pilot study reported promising results about the effectiveness of the proposed novel approach. A confirmatory trial on large sample size is needed to provide evidence about relative effectiveness of the two treatment conditions.
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    Bifactor Structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire Across the Schizotypy Spectrum
    (Guilford Press, 2021-08) Moussa-Tooks, Alexandra B.; Bailey, Allen J.; Bolbecker, Amanda R.; Viken, Richard J.; O’Donnell, Brian F.; Hetrick, William P.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Despite widespread use in schizophrenia-spectrum research, uncertainty remains around an empirically supported and theoretically meaningful factor structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Current identified structures are limited by reliance on exclusively nonclinical samples. The current study compared factor structures of the SPQ in a sample of 335 nonpsychiatric individuals, 292 schizotypy-spectrum individuals (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizotypal personality disorder), and the combined group (N = 627). Unidimensional, correlated, and hierarchical models were assessed in addition to a bifactor model, wherein subscales load simultaneously onto a general factor and a specific factor. The best-fitting model across samples was a two-specific factor bifactor model, consistent with the nine symptom dimensions of schizotypy as primarily a direct manifestation of a unitary construct. Such findings, for the first time demonstrated in a clinical sample, have broad implications for transdiagnostic approaches, including reifying schizotypy as a construct underlying diverse manifestations of phenomenology across a wide range of severity.
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    Differential Risk: Gender and Racial Differences in the Relationship between Trauma, Discrimination, and Schizotypy
    (MDPI, 2024-04-25) Monette, Mahogany A.; Russell, Madisen T.; Abel, Danielle B.; Lewis, Jarrett T.; Mickens, Jessica L.; Myers, Evan J.; Hricovec, Megan M.; Cicero, David C.; Wolny, J.; Hetrick, William P.; Masucci, Michael D.; Cohen, Alex S.; Burgin, Christopher J.; Kwapil, Thomas R.; Minor, Kyle S.; Psychology, School of Science
    Traumatic experiences are associated with increased experiences of positive schizotypy. This may be especially important for People of Color, who experience higher rates of trauma and racial discrimination. No study to date has examined how racial disparities in traumatic experiences may impact schizotypy. Furthermore, of the studies that have examined the relationship between trauma and schizotypy, none have examined racial discrimination as a potential moderator. The present study examined if racial discrimination moderates the relationship between trauma and multidimensional (positive, negative, and disorganized) schizotypy. In a sample of 770 college students, we conducted chi-squared analyses, analyses of variance, and stepwise regressions. We found that Black students experienced significantly higher racial discrimination and trauma than Latinx and Asian students. Furthermore, Black and Latinx students experienced significantly more multidimensional schizotypy items than Asian students. Trauma and racial discrimination explained 8 to 23% of the variance in each dimension of schizotypy. Racial discrimination did not moderate the relationships between trauma and multidimensional schizotypy. Our findings suggest that we need to examine risk factors that may prevent recovery from psychotic disorders. Additionally, disorganized schizotypy showed the most robust associations and may be a critical site of intervention.
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    Making Meaning in the Presence of Sub-threshold Psychotic Symptoms: An Investigation of Metacognitive Capacity in Psychometric Schizotypy
    (2016-04-15) Davis, Beshaun J.; Minor, Kyle Stuart; Lysaker, Paul H.; Salyers, Michelle Pensec; McGrew, John H.; Grahame, Nicholas J.
    Schizophrenia is a complex and debilitating mental disorder characterized by a myriad of symptoms that affect multiple aspects of functioning. Metacognition, or the ability to form complex notions of oneself and others, has been evidenced to be deficient in schizophrenia. As such, one burgeoning line of research has sought to elucidate the role of metacognitive capacity on functional outcome across the schizophrenia spectrum. Although there is a substantial body of evidence about the role of metacognition in clinical manifestations of the disorder, few studies to date have explored whether similar deficits can be seen in individuals at risk for schizophrenia. One such at risk group is that of schizotypy wherein individuals demonstrate attenuated trait-like characteristics resembling less severe versions of those seen in psychosis. The aim of the current study was to investigate metacognitive capacities in this group. To that end, 67 participants were recruited (schizotypy = 34, control = 33) and two primary hypotheses were developed: 1) Individuals with schizotypy will exhibit significantly worse metacognition than a non-schizotypy group; and 2) Metacognition will account for additional variance above and beyond social cognition in predicting social functioning. Contrary to our hypotheses, group differences a metacognition and its subdomains were not significant. Further, inconsistent with studies in chronic schizophrenia, metacognition did not significantly predict social functioning. Our findings suggest that metacognition is preserved in schizotypy.
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    Psychometric evaluation of the Pinocchio Illusion Questionnaire
    (SpringerLink, 2020-07) Purcell, John R.; Chen, John; Moussa-Tooks, Alexandra B.; Hetrick, William P.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Perceived nose elongation resulting from vibratory stimulation to the bicep brachii tendon in the absence of visual input while the finger is touching the nose, known as the Pinocchio Illusion (PI), is used to investigate how afferent signals can contribute to aberrant top-down perception of body representation. The Pinocchio Illusion Questionnaire (PIQ) was developed to empirically quantify PI perception, allowing for external validation of the PI with psychologically relevant phenomenon. The current study (n=60) examined the PIQ’s test-retest reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, and correlations with self-reported interoceptive awareness and schizotypal traits. The PIQ demonstrated strong test-retest reliability and internal validity; however, a Principal Component Analysis did not yield a latent variable structure that distinguished PI-specific perceptual aberrations from unrelated or contradictory perceptual experiences. Additionally, decreased reports of PI-specific perceptual aberrations during two elicitations of the PI on the PIQ’s open-ended free-response section (percent of sample endorsement=5% [first elicitation]; 8.3% [second elicitation]) compared to its 11-item section (endorsement of PI-specific items ranging 30–53.33% [first]; 31.67–46.67% [second]) suggest that these responses may be heavily influenced by demand characteristics rather than accurately capturing PI perception. Therefore, further psychometric development of the PIQ and standardization of procedures to elicit the illusion are recommended.
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    Social Activity in Schizotypy: Measuring Frequency and Enjoyment of Social Events
    (MDPI, 2024-06-05) DeBats, Candice C.; Abel, Danielle B.; Sullivan, Morgan M.; Koesterer, Sophia C.; Linton, Imani S.; Mickens, Jessica L.; Russell, Madisen T.; Hammer, Lillian A.; Minor, Kyle S.; Psychology, School of Science
    Improving social functioning deficits-a core characteristic of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders-is often listed by patients as a key recovery goal. Evidence suggests that social deficits also extend to people with schizotypy, a group at heightened risk for psychotic and other psychopathological disorders. One challenge of social functioning research in schizotypy is understanding whether social deficits arise from receiving less pleasure from social activities or from participating less in high-pleasure activities. However, limited information exists on what constitutes highly pleasurable, common social activities. In this study, 357 college students rated the frequency and enjoyment of 38 social activities. Our aims were to categorize activities based on their frequency and enjoyment, and whether these correlated with validated social functioning and schizotypy measures. We found that social activities could be characterized based on their frequency and enjoyment and created a frequency-enjoyment matrix that could be useful for future studies. Activities were correlated with social functioning, generally reaching a small effect size level, with increasing frequency and enjoyment showing associations with greater social functioning. Further, negative and disorganized-but not positive-traits were associated with less engagement and pleasure. Although follow-up studies in community samples are needed, our findings have the potential to help researchers and clinicians better understand which activities participants are more likely to engage in and derive pleasure from. The findings may also illustrate the extent to which social deficits may be due to less engagement or less pleasure from social activities, as well as which aspects of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders are associated with these facets of social functioning.
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    Social functioning in schizotypy: How affect influences social behavior in daily life
    (Wiley, 2020-12) Minor, Kyle S.; Hardin, Kathryn L.; Beaudette, Danielle M.; Waters, Lesley C.; White, Anna L.; Gonzenbach, Virgilio; Robbins, Megan L.; Psychology, School of Science
    Objective: Social deficits are already exhibited by people at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Technological advances have made passive detection of social deficits possible at granular levels. Method: In this real-world study, we tested if schizotypy status (high/low) predicted two types of social behavior: (1) being around other people; and (2) actively socializing with others. We also examined if schizotypy influences relationships between social behavior and affect using subjective and objective instruments. Results: Our findings revealed that socializing with others was significantly decreased in the high schizotypy group. Positive affect increased in social situations and predicted later social behavior in those low, but not high, in schizotypy. Conclusion: Decreased social behavior in schizotypy may be explained, in part, by these individuals being less incentivized than their peers to pursue social situations. Future studies should test this explanation in larger samples exhibiting elevated positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy traits.
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    Unique and Overlapping Symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum and Dissociative Disorders in Relation to Models of Psychopathology: A Systematic Review
    (Oxford Academic, 2017-01) Renard, Selwyn B.; Huntjens, Rafaele J. C.; Lysaker, Paul H.; Moskowitz, Andrew; Aleman, André; Pijnenborg, Gerdina H. M.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) and dissociative disorders (DDs) are described in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and tenth edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as 2 categorically distinct diagnostic categories. However, several studies indicate high levels of co-occurrence between these diagnostic groups, which might be explained by overlapping symptoms. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the research concerning overlap and differences in symptoms between schizophrenia spectrum and DDs. For this purpose the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant literature. The literature contained a large body of evidence showing the presence of symptoms of dissociation in SSDs. Although there are quantitative differences between diagnoses, overlapping symptoms are not limited to certain domains of dissociation, nor to nonpathological forms of dissociation. In addition, dissociation seems to be related to a history of trauma in SSDs, as is also seen in DDs. There is also evidence showing that positive and negative symptoms typically associated with schizophrenia may be present in DD. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to different models of psychopathology and clinical practice.