Psychiatry Research
Volume 125, Issue 2 , Pages 139-146, 15 February 2004

Patterns of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and social function in schizophrenia

  • Paul H Lysaker

      Affiliations

    • Day Hospital, 116H, Roudebush VA Medical Center, 1481 West 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
    • Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1-317-554-0000X2546; Fax: +1-317-554-0056
    • ,
  • Rebecca S Lancaster

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
    • ,
  • Michael A Nees

      Affiliations

    • Day Hospital, 116H, Roudebush VA Medical Center, 1481 West 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
    • ,
  • Louanne W Davis

      Affiliations

    • Day Hospital, 116H, Roudebush VA Medical Center, 1481 West 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA

Received 1 April 2003; received in revised form 12 December 2003; accepted 16 December 2003.

Abstract 

Research has alternately found that obsessive and compulsive (OC) symptoms in schizophrenia are associated with graver and lesser levels of negative symptoms. One possible explanation is that there are two distinct groups of persons with OC symptoms: those with cognitive deficits and high levels of negative symptoms and those who generally function well and have low levels of negative symptoms. To examine this question, we performed a cluster analysis on 66 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders on the basis of their level of obsessive-compulsive phenomena and global psychosocial function. Four groups were found: high OC/good function (n=9), non-OC/poor function (n=25), non-OC/moderate function (n=20), and high OC/poor function (n=12). A MANCOVA controlling for age found significant group differences on assessments of negative symptoms, executive function and attention among groups. As predicted, the high OC/poor function group had significantly poorer attention than any other group and poorer executive function than either non-OC group. The high OC/good function had lower levels of negative symptoms than either non-OC group. Implications for research and rehabilitation are discussed.

Keywords:  Negative symptoms, Schizophrenia, Neurocognition, Obsessions, Compulsions, Psychosocial function

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PII: S0165-1781(03)00304-4

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2003.12.007

Psychiatry Research
Volume 125, Issue 2 , Pages 139-146, 15 February 2004

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