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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

A Vulnerability-Stress-Coping Model Of Adjustment To The Individual Negative Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

Watson-Luke, Annette Robyn Unknown Date (has links)
This research program represents the first systematic exploration of the subjective experience of alogia, anhedonia, attention problems, avolition, and emotional blunting, and its relation to other objective and subjective factors in schizophrenia. Using a combined rational-empirical approach, a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to the 5 negative symptoms was developed and tested. Three aspects of appraisal were examined, the primary appraisals of symptom severity and distress, and the secondary appraisal of control. The dimensions of coping with individual symptoms were initially examined using a rational approach, and then empirically using exploratory factor analyses. The Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Interview Schedule (ACNSIS) was developed for use in Study 1. Both qualitative and quantitative appraisal and coping data were examined for 20 people with negative symptoms. Responses to the ACNSIS demonstrated that appraisals and coping responses varied across participants and individual negative symptoms. Previously employed categorisations of coping behaviour were used to examine and quantify coping. Negative symptom-specific differences were found in awareness of negative symptom presence, degree of agreement with objective ratings, appraisals, reliance on different types of coping, and relations with participant characteristics. Participant coping responses from Study 1 were used to construct the self-report measure used in subsequent studies. Study 2 involved the development, administration, and evaluation of the selfreport Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Questionnaire (ACNSQ). Both an electronic and paper version of the ACNSQ were developed. The ACNSQ was administered to 120 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Participants were required to make severity, distress and control appraisals for each negative symptom they believed they were suffering from. Following symptom appraisals, a number of symptom-specific and general coping items were presented for each negative symptom. In Study 2A, the multidimensionality of coping responses and the nature of empirically derived subscales were explored individually for each negative symptom. Factor analyses of data from 119 participants resulted in 3 underlying coping dimensions for each symptom. These dimensions, which formed the basis of the ACNSQ coping subscales, were labelled as active, emotional, or avoidant forms of coping. Coping subscales were found to be moderately similar across symptoms. The subscales were shown to be internally consistent and largely independent within symptoms. It was found that the degree of reliance on particular coping subscales was negative symptom-specific, although participant coping was related across symptoms. In Study 2B, the nature of negative symptom appraisals and the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ were examined. There was evidence that the nature of appraisals varied according to negative symptom. Retest reliability analyses indicated that overall, ACNSQ appraisals had a low to moderate degree of reliability while coping subscales demonstrated a moderate to high degree of reliability. Differential associations between appraisal and coping and a range of theoretically related variables provided evidence of the construct validity of the ACNSQ. Study 3 used exploratory techniques to conduct cross-sectional tests of a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to individual negative symptoms based on the data of the 119 participants. Associations between the objective indicator of negative symptom stressor level, and the subjective experience variables of insight, appraisal and coping were examined in relation to adjustment using a multidimensional approach. Two models of the relations between negative symptom predictors and 3 separate domains of adjustment were investigated. Study 3A provided moderate support for a direct effects model for each of the 5 negative symptoms. Objective negative symptom level, insight, primary appraisals and coping subscales all had significant direct effects on one or more domains of adjustment. In general, higher objective negative symptom levels, higher severity and distress appraisals, and greater reliance on avoidant forms of coping were associated with poorer adjustment. The direct effects of active and emotional forms of coping were less consistent and varied across symptoms and adjustment domains. Study 3B extended these findings by providing a limited amount of support for a mediated effects model. Appraisal and coping were found to act as mediators in some of the relations between objective indicators and subjective experience variables for alogia, attention problems and avolition. There was evidence that the impact of insight on coping was partly mediated by control appraisals. Coping partly mediated the relation between stress and adjustment, and appraisal and adjustment. Overall, this series of exploratory studies make a unique contribution to understanding the subjective experience of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The proposed vulnerability-stress-coping model demonstrated utility in identifying variables important in the prediction of adjustment to individual negative symptoms, and in delineating the nature of associations between variables. Further research is required to improve the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ. However, it offers promise as an instrument with which to assess negative symptom appraisals and coping responses, in both clinical and research settings. The present findings have important theoretical and clinical implications concerning the role of subjective and objective factors involved in adjustment to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This research program provides a valuable foundation for future research to test the vulnerability-stress-coping model in its entirety.
2

A Vulnerability-Stress-Coping Model Of Adjustment To The Individual Negative Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

Watson-Luke, Annette Robyn Unknown Date (has links)
This research program represents the first systematic exploration of the subjective experience of alogia, anhedonia, attention problems, avolition, and emotional blunting, and its relation to other objective and subjective factors in schizophrenia. Using a combined rational-empirical approach, a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to the 5 negative symptoms was developed and tested. Three aspects of appraisal were examined, the primary appraisals of symptom severity and distress, and the secondary appraisal of control. The dimensions of coping with individual symptoms were initially examined using a rational approach, and then empirically using exploratory factor analyses. The Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Interview Schedule (ACNSIS) was developed for use in Study 1. Both qualitative and quantitative appraisal and coping data were examined for 20 people with negative symptoms. Responses to the ACNSIS demonstrated that appraisals and coping responses varied across participants and individual negative symptoms. Previously employed categorisations of coping behaviour were used to examine and quantify coping. Negative symptom-specific differences were found in awareness of negative symptom presence, degree of agreement with objective ratings, appraisals, reliance on different types of coping, and relations with participant characteristics. Participant coping responses from Study 1 were used to construct the self-report measure used in subsequent studies. Study 2 involved the development, administration, and evaluation of the selfreport Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Questionnaire (ACNSQ). Both an electronic and paper version of the ACNSQ were developed. The ACNSQ was administered to 120 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Participants were required to make severity, distress and control appraisals for each negative symptom they believed they were suffering from. Following symptom appraisals, a number of symptom-specific and general coping items were presented for each negative symptom. In Study 2A, the multidimensionality of coping responses and the nature of empirically derived subscales were explored individually for each negative symptom. Factor analyses of data from 119 participants resulted in 3 underlying coping dimensions for each symptom. These dimensions, which formed the basis of the ACNSQ coping subscales, were labelled as active, emotional, or avoidant forms of coping. Coping subscales were found to be moderately similar across symptoms. The subscales were shown to be internally consistent and largely independent within symptoms. It was found that the degree of reliance on particular coping subscales was negative symptom-specific, although participant coping was related across symptoms. In Study 2B, the nature of negative symptom appraisals and the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ were examined. There was evidence that the nature of appraisals varied according to negative symptom. Retest reliability analyses indicated that overall, ACNSQ appraisals had a low to moderate degree of reliability while coping subscales demonstrated a moderate to high degree of reliability. Differential associations between appraisal and coping and a range of theoretically related variables provided evidence of the construct validity of the ACNSQ. Study 3 used exploratory techniques to conduct cross-sectional tests of a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to individual negative symptoms based on the data of the 119 participants. Associations between the objective indicator of negative symptom stressor level, and the subjective experience variables of insight, appraisal and coping were examined in relation to adjustment using a multidimensional approach. Two models of the relations between negative symptom predictors and 3 separate domains of adjustment were investigated. Study 3A provided moderate support for a direct effects model for each of the 5 negative symptoms. Objective negative symptom level, insight, primary appraisals and coping subscales all had significant direct effects on one or more domains of adjustment. In general, higher objective negative symptom levels, higher severity and distress appraisals, and greater reliance on avoidant forms of coping were associated with poorer adjustment. The direct effects of active and emotional forms of coping were less consistent and varied across symptoms and adjustment domains. Study 3B extended these findings by providing a limited amount of support for a mediated effects model. Appraisal and coping were found to act as mediators in some of the relations between objective indicators and subjective experience variables for alogia, attention problems and avolition. There was evidence that the impact of insight on coping was partly mediated by control appraisals. Coping partly mediated the relation between stress and adjustment, and appraisal and adjustment. Overall, this series of exploratory studies make a unique contribution to understanding the subjective experience of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The proposed vulnerability-stress-coping model demonstrated utility in identifying variables important in the prediction of adjustment to individual negative symptoms, and in delineating the nature of associations between variables. Further research is required to improve the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ. However, it offers promise as an instrument with which to assess negative symptom appraisals and coping responses, in both clinical and research settings. The present findings have important theoretical and clinical implications concerning the role of subjective and objective factors involved in adjustment to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This research program provides a valuable foundation for future research to test the vulnerability-stress-coping model in its entirety.
3

A Vulnerability-Stress-Coping Model Of Adjustment To The Individual Negative Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

Watson-Luke, Annette Robyn Unknown Date (has links)
This research program represents the first systematic exploration of the subjective experience of alogia, anhedonia, attention problems, avolition, and emotional blunting, and its relation to other objective and subjective factors in schizophrenia. Using a combined rational-empirical approach, a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to the 5 negative symptoms was developed and tested. Three aspects of appraisal were examined, the primary appraisals of symptom severity and distress, and the secondary appraisal of control. The dimensions of coping with individual symptoms were initially examined using a rational approach, and then empirically using exploratory factor analyses. The Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Interview Schedule (ACNSIS) was developed for use in Study 1. Both qualitative and quantitative appraisal and coping data were examined for 20 people with negative symptoms. Responses to the ACNSIS demonstrated that appraisals and coping responses varied across participants and individual negative symptoms. Previously employed categorisations of coping behaviour were used to examine and quantify coping. Negative symptom-specific differences were found in awareness of negative symptom presence, degree of agreement with objective ratings, appraisals, reliance on different types of coping, and relations with participant characteristics. Participant coping responses from Study 1 were used to construct the self-report measure used in subsequent studies. Study 2 involved the development, administration, and evaluation of the selfreport Appraisal and Coping with Negative Symptoms Questionnaire (ACNSQ). Both an electronic and paper version of the ACNSQ were developed. The ACNSQ was administered to 120 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Participants were required to make severity, distress and control appraisals for each negative symptom they believed they were suffering from. Following symptom appraisals, a number of symptom-specific and general coping items were presented for each negative symptom. In Study 2A, the multidimensionality of coping responses and the nature of empirically derived subscales were explored individually for each negative symptom. Factor analyses of data from 119 participants resulted in 3 underlying coping dimensions for each symptom. These dimensions, which formed the basis of the ACNSQ coping subscales, were labelled as active, emotional, or avoidant forms of coping. Coping subscales were found to be moderately similar across symptoms. The subscales were shown to be internally consistent and largely independent within symptoms. It was found that the degree of reliance on particular coping subscales was negative symptom-specific, although participant coping was related across symptoms. In Study 2B, the nature of negative symptom appraisals and the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ were examined. There was evidence that the nature of appraisals varied according to negative symptom. Retest reliability analyses indicated that overall, ACNSQ appraisals had a low to moderate degree of reliability while coping subscales demonstrated a moderate to high degree of reliability. Differential associations between appraisal and coping and a range of theoretically related variables provided evidence of the construct validity of the ACNSQ. Study 3 used exploratory techniques to conduct cross-sectional tests of a vulnerability-stress-coping model of adjustment to individual negative symptoms based on the data of the 119 participants. Associations between the objective indicator of negative symptom stressor level, and the subjective experience variables of insight, appraisal and coping were examined in relation to adjustment using a multidimensional approach. Two models of the relations between negative symptom predictors and 3 separate domains of adjustment were investigated. Study 3A provided moderate support for a direct effects model for each of the 5 negative symptoms. Objective negative symptom level, insight, primary appraisals and coping subscales all had significant direct effects on one or more domains of adjustment. In general, higher objective negative symptom levels, higher severity and distress appraisals, and greater reliance on avoidant forms of coping were associated with poorer adjustment. The direct effects of active and emotional forms of coping were less consistent and varied across symptoms and adjustment domains. Study 3B extended these findings by providing a limited amount of support for a mediated effects model. Appraisal and coping were found to act as mediators in some of the relations between objective indicators and subjective experience variables for alogia, attention problems and avolition. There was evidence that the impact of insight on coping was partly mediated by control appraisals. Coping partly mediated the relation between stress and adjustment, and appraisal and adjustment. Overall, this series of exploratory studies make a unique contribution to understanding the subjective experience of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The proposed vulnerability-stress-coping model demonstrated utility in identifying variables important in the prediction of adjustment to individual negative symptoms, and in delineating the nature of associations between variables. Further research is required to improve the psychometric properties of the ACNSQ. However, it offers promise as an instrument with which to assess negative symptom appraisals and coping responses, in both clinical and research settings. The present findings have important theoretical and clinical implications concerning the role of subjective and objective factors involved in adjustment to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This research program provides a valuable foundation for future research to test the vulnerability-stress-coping model in its entirety.
4

Measuring apathy in a neuropsychological patient sample : factor structure and clinical correlates

Calamia, Matthew 01 July 2014 (has links)
Apathy, defined as a decrease in purposeful or goal-directed behavior, is common in many neurological disorders. The assessment of apathy in these disorders is important as apathy is associated with differential engagement and response to treatment and future cognitive and functional decline. Although apathy is often described as including three separate symptom dimensions, reflecting diminished interest, action, and emotional expression, investigations of the factor structure of apathy symptoms have been limited by the use of scales which do not comprehensively assess all of three of the proposed dimensions. The current study aimed to develop a novel informant report measure of apathy symptoms, investigate the factor structure of apathy symptoms, and examine the relationship of different types of apathy symptoms to several clinically relevant variables. Participants included 249 informants who reported on an individual with (n=210) or without (n=39) a neurological or psychiatric condition. Results showed the best fitting model of apathy symptoms was a bifactor model in which apathy could be represented as a global dimension with three separate, specific symptom factors reflecting diminished interest and initiative, asociality, and diminished emotional and verbal expression. In general, apathy was associated with poorer cognitive functioning, greater functional impairment, and higher caregiver distress. The specific symptom factors differed somewhat in their association with those same variables, highlighting the utility of measuring different types of symptoms in addition to overall apathy. Future work will refine the apathy measure developed in this study and test the obtained bifactor symptom model in an independent sample.
5

Group Music Therapy as an intervention for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia in forensic adult clients in a psychiatric hospital

Muirhead, Bruce Muirhead January 2016 (has links)
A mixed-methods approach was utilised in order to explore the impact of group Music Therapy on the negative symptoms of forensic clients with schizophrenia. Eight participants were involved in this exploratory study at Valkenberg hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. The Music Therapy intervention consisted of eight sessions over a period of six weeks. Qualitative data were collected through video footage, with three excerpts being selected for thick descriptions to be written and, subsequent to the process of therapy, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. Quantitative data were generated by structured interviews with the eight participants individually using the PANNS test both before and after the music therapy process. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while the quantitative data were presented through descriptive statistical analysis, and a paired sample t-test was conducted. Findings suggest that group Music Therapy affords forensic adult clients in a psychiatric hospital who are diagnosed with schizophrenia benefits in relation to their negative symptoms. The themes that emerged through thematic analysis were ‘Holding’, ‘Positive Experiences of Music Therapy’, ‘Togetherness’, ‘Activation’, ’Flexibility’ and ‘Inflexibility’. The quantitative data shows an overall improvement in the negative symptoms. A paired sample t-test calculates this improvement as too small to be statistically significant. However, the overall improvement shown in the quantitative data suggests the possibility that the group Music Therapy intervention may have effected a gradual positive shift over time and this requires further research. Although participants still displayed negative symptoms in their daily life in the ward, music therapy offered an environment in which well-being could be experienced and expressed. / Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Music / MMus / Unrestricted
6

Examining the Role of Dysfunctional Beliefs in Individuals with Schizotypy

Luther, Lauren January 2015 (has links)
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In accord with the cognitive model of poor functioning in schizophrenia, defeatist performance beliefs, or overgeneralized negative beliefs about one’s ability to perform tasks, have been linked to poor functional outcomes, cognitive impairment, and negative symptoms in schizophrenia and are a suggested therapeutic target in Cognitive Therapy for Schizophrenia. However, there is a paucity of research investigating these beliefs in schizotypy, or those exhibiting traits reflecting a putative genetic liability for schizophrenia. This study had three aims: to examine whether defeatist performance beliefs 1) are elevated in schizotypy compared to non-schizotypy, 2) are associated with functioning-related outcomes (i.e., quality of life, working memory, negative schizotypy traits), and 3) mediate the relationships between working memory and both negative schizotypy traits and quality of life. Schizotypy (n = 43) and non-schizotypy (n = 45) groups completed measures of schizotypy traits, defeatist performance beliefs, quality of life, and working memory. Results revealed that the schizotypy group reported significantly more defeatist performance beliefs than the non-schizotypy group. Within the schizotypy group, defeatist performance beliefs were significantly positively associated with negative schizotypy traits and significantly inversely associated with quality of life. No associations were observed between defeatist performance beliefs and positive schizotypy traits and working memory. Further, defeatist performance beliefs did not mediate the relationships between working memory and either quality of life or negative schizotypy traits. Findings are generally consistent with the cognitive model of poor functioning in schizophrenia and suggest that defeatist performance beliefs may be an important therapeutic target in early intervention services.
7

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONSISTENCY OF SELF AND INTERVIEWER REPORT OF NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS

Pierce, Katherine, 0000-0002-6820-5649 January 2022 (has links)
Negative symptoms emerge early in the course of psychosis and are one of the best indicators of clinical outcomes; thus, the accurate, identification of these symptoms is paramount to early intervention efforts. Negative symptoms are typically assessed via self-report questionnaire or interviewer rated semi-structured interviews. However, the degree of concordance between self and interviewer report has been demonstrated to be low, approximately 50%. Therefore, it is important to identify the degree of discordance within each negative symptom domain (anhedonia, alogia, blunted affect, asociality, and amotivation) as well as to identify potential contributors to this lack of concordance. The present study examined each of the five negative symptom domains in regard to self and interviewer rating concordance in a sample (N = 70) that consists of a full range of negative symptoms and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Results indicated that self and interviewer report of negative symptom domains were inconsistently correlated. Dimensionally, asociality and avolition were the most concordant domains and alogia and anhedonia were more discordant. Although self and interviewer report scores of blunted affect did not significantly differ, each score may be capturing separate aspects of this experience. Participant drug use frequency was found to significantly impact rater responding on blunted affect, participant emotional clarity significantly impacted rater responding on alogia, participant clinical high risk (CHR) status impacted rater responding on consummatory anhedonia, and participant anxiety impacted rater responding on anticipatory anhedonia. This study identifies factors that underlie negative symptom rating discordance, which may help improve treatment intervention for those experiencing this critical phase of the disorder, and improve our ability to accurately monitor these symptoms in individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders. / Psychology
8

Cannabis use and attenuated positive psychotic symptoms: A multiple mediation model

Reeves, Lauren Elizabeth January 2017 (has links)
Cannabis use has been associated with various psychosis outcomes, including psychotic disorders, the clinical high risk period of psychosis, and subthreshold measures of psychotic symptoms in non-clinical samples, such as attenuated positive psychotic symptoms (APPS). The present study examined whether individual- and contextual-level factors account for the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis. Specifically, we hypothesized that the relationship between cannabis and psychosis would be mediated by social functioning; negative, depression, anxiety, and aggression symptoms; context of cannabis use; and motivations for cannabis use. Nine hundred and forty-five young adults ages 18-35 years (M = 20.1 years, 24.4% male) completed self-report questionnaires: the Prodromal Questionnaire, Marijuana Use Form, Social Functioning Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Form-Anxiety Subscale, Social Phobia Scale, Life History of Aggression Scale, Reasons for Use scale, and Drug Use Frequency questionnaire. Psychosis outcomes included a dimensional measure of APPS and a dichotomous measure indicating potential higher/lower risk for psychosis, based on number of distressing symptoms endorsed (i.e., D-APPS status). A multiple mediation framework was used, and significance of mediators was evaluated through estimating the significance of indirect effects using bootstrapped confidence intervals. Increases in negative and aggression symptoms mediated the relationship between higher cannabis use and increases in APPS. Negative and aggression symptoms, context of cannabis use, and using cannabis to cope with unpleasant affect mediated the relationship between cannabis use and high-D-APPS status. Results indicate that individual and contextual-level characteristics may contribute to the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis. / Psychology
9

Behavioral and cognitive phenotypes are linked to brain network topology

Nawaz, Uzma 17 June 2019 (has links)
BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia manifests as a constellation of both psychotic symptoms (eg. hallucinations, delusions) and so-called negative symptoms. The latter includes anhedonia, avolition, amotivation and they are the strongest predictors of disability. Resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) has demonstrated that the brain is organized into low-dimensional number (7-17) brain networks and this allowed visualization of the relationship between symptom severity and large-scale brain network organization. Traditional rsfMRI analyses have assumed that the spatial organization of these networks are spatially invariant between individuals. This dogma has recently been overturned with the observation that the spatial organization of these brain networks shows significant variation between individuals. We sought to determine if previously observed relationships between symptom severity and network connectivity are actually due to individual differences in spatial organization. METHODS: 44 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia underwent rsfMRI scans and clinical assessment. A multivariate pattern analysis was used to examine how each participant’s whole brain functional connectivity correlates with ‘negative’ symptom severity. RESULTS: Brain connectivity to a region of the right dorso-lateral pre-frontal cortex (r DLPFC) correlates with symptom severity. The result is explained by the individual differences in the topographic distribution of two brain networks: the default mode network (DMN) and the task positive network (TPN). Both networks demonstrate strong (r~0.49) and significant (p<0.001) relationships between topography and symptom severity. For individuals with low symptom severity, this critical region is a part of the DMN. In highly symptomatic individuals, this region is a part of the TPN. CONCLUSIONS: Previously overlooked individual variation in brain organization is tightly linked to individual variation in schizophrenia symptom severity. The recognition of critical links between network topology and pathological symptomology may serve as a guide for future interventions aimed at establishing causal relationships between certain critical regions of the brain and cognitive and behavioral phenotypes. Thus, fMRI and network topology may be translated to a clinical setting as a viable, individual-centered treatment option. / 2020-06-17T00:00:00Z
10

Emotion Processes In Schizophrenia: In Relation With Symptomatology And Duration Of Illness

Senyurt, Ahmet Yasin 01 February 2008 (has links) (PDF)
The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of positive and negative symptoms, and duration of illness on emotion processes / ability to understand emotion related cues, experience of emotion, and expression of emotion. A total of 46 schizophrenia patients from Ankara Oncology Hospital Psychiatry Clinic / 23 of them were diagnosed with schizophrenia for at least 10 years, and 23 of them were diagnosed for less than 10 years, participated in the study. Besides, a total of 23 non-clinical subjects / which were similar to the clinical group in terms of educational information, participated to the study. A video-clip which consists of scenes that elicited four types of emotions (fear, disgust, sadness, happiness) was presented to the participants. Understanding of emotion related cues and the experienced emotion were rated through self-report. Facial expressions of the participants were rated through their recorded faces by three psychologists, who were specifically trained for emotional facial expression rating. Symptomatology was assessed by Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), and Calgary Depression Scale for schizophrenia patients. Presence of any psychopathology of healthy group was measured through Brief Symptom Inventory. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed that chronic patients presented more understanding of context impairments than acute patients and non-clinical group. In addition to these findings, positive symptoms assessed by PANSS were found to be positively correlated with the understanding context impairment. Therefore, It was suggested that positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions interfere with understanding context task. The results were discussed in the light of the literature and clinical and research implications of the study presented. Finally, necessity of using neurological, biological and cognitive assessment methods for further studies was suggested in order to understand deficits in emotional processes.

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