Associations among domains of self-disturbance in schizophrenia. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Klaunig, Mallory J.; Trask, Christi L.; Neis, Aaron M.; Cohn, Jonathan R.; Chen, Xuefang; Berglund, Alysia M.; Cicero, David C.
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 267(2018)
• Page Start: 187
• Page End: 194
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Anomalous self-experience -- Self-concept clarity -- Somatosensation; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.05.082
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: People with schizophrenia have higher levels of self-disturbances in the domains of somatosensation, anomalous self-experience, and self-concept clarity, as compared to non-psychiatric control participants. Impairment in the domains of anomalous self-experience and self-concept clarity are correlated, but somatosensation is not. Impairment in somatosensation is associated with negative symptoms. Impairment in self-experience and self-concept clarity are associated with positive symptoms. Abstract: Self-disturbances are increasingly recognized as important, possibly even central, features of schizophrenia. However, little is known about the associations among different manifestations of self-disturbances. The aims of the current study were threefold. We aimed to (1) replicate previous findings of increased self-disturbances in schizophrenia, (2) correlate manifestations of self-disturbances in schizophrenia across three domains, and (3) correlate self-disturbances with five symptoms domains of schizophrenia, including positive, negative, disorganized symptoms, excitement, and emotional distress. We examined three domains of self-experience, including somatosensation, anomalous self-experiences, and self-concept clarity. Participants included 48 individuals with schizophrenia and 36 non-psychiatric controls. The results of this study replicate previous findings of significantly higher levels of self-disturbances in people with schizophrenia. The results also indicate positive correlations between the domains of anomalous self-experiences and self-concept clarity, but not somatosensation, in individuals with schizophrenia. As well, anomalous self-experiences were positively correlated with positive symptoms, disorganized symptoms, and emotional distress and self-concept clarity was negatively correlated with disorganized symptoms and emotional distress.