Anxiety and depression symptoms in psychometrically identified schizotypy.

Full Abstract

The neurodevelopmental vulnerability for schizophrenia appears to be expressed across a dynamic continuum of adjustment referred to as schizotypy. This model suggests that nonpsychotic schizotypic individuals should exhibit mild and transient forms of symptoms seen in full-blown schizophrenia. Given that depression and anxiety are reported to be comorbid with schizophrenia, the present study examined the relationship of psychometrically defined schizotypy with symptoms of depression and anxiety in a college student sample (n=1258). A series of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution of positive schizotypy, negative schizotypy, and negative affect provided the best solution for self-report measures of schizotypy, anxiety, and depression. As hypothesized, the model indicated that symptoms of depression and anxiety are more strongly associated with the positive-symptom dimension of schizotypy than with the negative-symptom dimension. This is consistent with studies of schizophrenic patients and longitudinal findings that positive-symptom schizotypes are at risk for both mood and non-mood psychotic disorders, while negative-symptom schizotypes appear more specifically at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Author information

Author/s: Lewandowski, Kathryn E (KE); Barrantes-Vidal, Neus (N); Nelson-Gray, Rosemery O (RO); Clancy, Carolina (C); Kepley, Hayden O (HO); Kwapil, Thomas R (TR);

Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Psychology, 296 Eberhart Building, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA. kelewand(-atsign-)uncg.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Schizophrenia research (Schizophr Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Apr; vol 83 (issue 2-3) : pp 225-35

Dates: Created 2006/04/04; Completed 2006/09/19; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16448805, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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