Dimensional approaches to schizophrenia: A comparison of the Bern Psychopathology scale and the five-factor model of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. (30th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lang, Fabian U.; Müller-Stierlin, Annabel S.; Walther, Sebastian; Stegmayer, Katharina; Becker, Thomas; Jäger, Markus
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 239(2016)
• Page Start: 284
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2016-05-30
• Subjects: Dimensional approaches -- Psychopathology -- Schizophrenia -- PANSS -- BPS; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.03.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: The aim was to examine to what extent the dimensions of the BPS map the five factors derived from the PANSS in order to explore the level of agreement of these alternative dimensional approaches in patients with schizophrenia. 149 inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were recruited. Psychopathological symptoms were assessed with the Bern Psychopathology Scale (BPS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between the factors and the items of the BPS. The robustness of patterns was evaluated. An understandable overlap of both approaches was found for positive and negative symptoms and excitement. The PANSS positive factor was associated with symptoms of the affect domain in terms of both inhibition and disinhibition, the PANSS negative factor with symptoms of all three domains of the BPS as an inhibition and the PANSS excitement factor with an inhibition of the affect domain and a disinhibition of the language and motor domains. The results show that here is only a partial overlap between the system-specific approach of the BPS and the five-factor PANSS model. A longitudinal assessment of psychopathological symptoms would therefore be of interest. Highlights: A partial overlap between the system-specific approach of the BPS and the five-factor PANSS model was found. The PANSS positive factor was associated with the affect domain (inhibition and disinhibition). The PANSS negative factor was associated with an inhibition of all three BPS domains. The PANSS excitement factor was associated with inhibition of the affect and disinhibition of language and motor domains. Longitudinal study of psychopathological symptoms would be insightful.