Components of processing deficit among paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

22 paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic inpatients were compared to 18 normals in their performance on a sentence verification task. Analysis of latency times indicated that the groups did not differ with respect to the aspect of processing involving central scanning and comparison operations. However, the paranoids were significantly slower than the normals in their overall latency times. Possible sources of this difference are discussed, and results are related to past evidence and hypotheses about central processing performance among schizophrenics. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fluid and rigid boundaries of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics on a role-playing task

The concepts of fluid and rigid boundaries were assessed in an improvisational role-playing task in an attempt to differentiate paranoid from nonparanoid schizophrenics. Thirty-one schizophrenic patients divided into paranoid, intermediate, and nonparanoid groups were given an improvisational role-playing task. The resulting scenes were analyzed by Fluid Boundary and Rigid Boundary scales, which were developed on the basis of specific aspects of the physical and verbal representations of characters, objects, and settings. The hypothesis that variations in the disruption or emphasis of representational boundaries differentiate paranoid and nonparanoid symptomatology received support. Paranoid schizophrenics scored higher on the Rigid Boundary scale, i.e erecting and/or exaggerating physical and interpersonal boundaries; and nonparanoid schizophrenics scored higher on Fluid Boundary scale, i.e. showing fused and fluid representations of characters, objects, and settings. Improvisational role-playing seems to hold promise as a medium with diagnostic value.     

Multivariate cognitive performance levels and response styles among paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Examined paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic performance on a battery of information processing measures spanning precategorical processing, short-term memory, and long-term memory. 20 paranoid (mean age 30.9 yrs) and 20 nonparanoid (mean age 29.3 yrs) schizophrenics and 40 normals (mean age 26.69 yrs) were administered the Symptom-Sign Inventory and the Psychotic-Neurotic Discriminator Scale. Multivariate analyses of the multiple processing indexes revealed 2 performance dimensions. The 1st represented "processing efficiency" maximally separating the paranoids and nonpatients with the nonparanoids falling in between. The 2nd dimension reflected a response style of propensity toward stating the presence of stimuli or stimulus properties, with the most extreme separation occurring between the paranoids (higher propensity) and nonparanoids. Though closer to the paranoids, the nonpatients fell between the 2 schizophrenic groups. Discussion draws on the bidimensional characterization of the paranoids and nonparanoids as well as on their differential performance on individual measures. (50 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The integration defect in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia.

Tested a theory of schizophrenia which views the central defect as an inadequate integration of perceptual and cognitive processes. Instead of combining these processes as normals do, paranoids emphasize cognitive processes, whereas nonparanoids emphasize perceptual processes. 10 nonparanoid and 10 paranoid patients and 10 control Ss (hospital aides), all 18-60 yrs old, listened to sentences ending in high-, or low-probability words masked by 1 of 5 levels of white noise. As predicted, paranoids identified the masked word significantly more accurately than nonparanoids when task performance was facilitated by cognitive processes (expectation of the probable ending). When expectations operated to decrease performance (improbable endings), subgroup performance tended to reverse, although differences were not significant. The prediction that normals' performance would be intermediate in both conditions was confirmed. Controls performed more like paranoids on probable end words but more like nonparanoids on improbable end words. Moreover, signal detection analysis showed that paranoids were biased toward high-probability responses, whereas nonparanoids were biased toward low-probability responses, thus deviating from normals in opposite directions. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on differentiating paranoid from nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Compared 3 methods of differentiating paranoid from nonparanoid schizophrenics: (a) official hospital diagnosis; (b) behavior ratings based on specific characteristics; and (c) self-report using scales, e.g., the MMPI. It was found that a and b were significantly correlated, while c correlated with neither of the 2 techniques in 97 males from a Veterans Administration hospital with the general diagnosis of schizophrenia. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sources of judgmental impairment in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

While it is known that schizophrenic patients perform more poorly than nonschizophrenics on most cognitive tasks, the specific nature of their impairment is unclear. Social judgment theory suggests both procedures and analyses that may clarify this situation. The present study evaluated the performance of schizophrenics on the judgment indices of task knowledge and cognitive control. 12 paranoid schizophrenics, 12 nonparanoids, and 12 nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients completed 60 trials of a complex judgment task. Although all Ss were males, they were not controlled for age, education, or intelligence variables. Some Ss were rated with the Short Scale for Rating Paranoid Schizophrenia. Both groups of schizophrenics performed more poorly than normals, although only nonparanoids demonstrated significant impairment. Analysis of the component indices of performance indicated that the schizophrenic subgroups demonstrated contrasting forms of impairment. Paranoids evidenced poorer task knowledge than nonschizophrenics, whereas nonparanoids were impaired on control. Results may have relevance for identifying sources of cognitive dysfunction and for suggesting differential therapeutic strategies with these patients. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress responses and coping propensity among paranoid and nonparanoid, episodic, and remitted schizophrenics.

28 remitted and 28 episodic paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics performed a "coping task" consisting of a simple tapping response purported to affect the duration of stressing loud sounds. Cognitive appraisals of the effectiveness of the available response, and task-performance measures of propensity (vis-à-vis reticence) to engage in the response were monitored. Results indicate both paranoid and nonparanoid Ss appraised the available coping response as being less effective than did controls; behavioral measures indicated generally lower propensity to cope among the nonparanoid Ss; the paranoid Ss were similar to controls on selected coping-propensity measures. These differences remained constant across episodic and remitted stages of illness. Psychophysiological evidence of stress arousal (heart-rate acceleration) indicated elevated responsivity specifically among the episodic patients. Results were discussed in terms of current formulations concerning vulnerability to schizophrenic episodes and efforts to cope with environmental stressors. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a "reformed sinner" and a "lapsed saint" strategy upon trust formation in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic patients.

Compared paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic patients, as well as a normal sample, on: (1) capacity to form a trusting relationship with an unknown other, and (2) the relative efficacy of a "reformed sinner" vs. a "lapsed saint" strategy in inducing trusting and trustworthy behavior in these samples. 48 Ss played a 2-person bargaining game for 30 trials and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 strategies. Several game-playing styles differentiated the 3 samples. The paranoids, as contrasted with the nonparanoids and 24 normals, were more likely to be "cooperative" when dealing with a lapsed saint and more "exploitative" when confronted with a reformed sinner. Results reflect the paranoids' conflicting attitudes toward discrepancies in power. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A review of neuropsychological differences between paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia patients

This review examines the literature on neuropsychological differences between paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia subjects. Thirty-two studies related to intellectual functioning, attention, memory, language, visual-spatial, and motor functions are discussed. Subjects with paranoid schizophrenia did not demonstrate higher intellectual functioning than those with nonparanoid schizophrenia, and both groups performed similarly on tests of verbal ability and visual-spatial functions. Several studies suggest that the paranoid subtype is associated with higher performance on tests of executive functions, attention, memory, and motor skills. However, the findings are inconsistent. Methodological issues in the literature are examined, including varying degrees of participants' chronicity and severity of illness among studies, criteria for diagnostic group membership, medication effects, reliability and validity of the neuropsychological measures, and statistical power.     

Affective content and contextual constraint in recall by paranoid, nonparanoid, and nonpsychiatric patients.

Asked each of 16 patients in 3 groups-paranoid schizophrenic, nonparanoid schizophrenic, and nonpsychiatric-for verbatim recall after listening to each of 4 tape-recorded passages of verbal material representing 4 levels of constraint and 2 types of affect. 3 hypotheses were tested regarding the differential influence of affectivity and constraint on 3 types of patients. Results do not indicate that recall performance improved with each increase in contextual constraint. However, increasing affectivity of the material did influence the utilization of constraint. When an ordered recall scoring method was employed, recall was found to be significantly better for neutral as opposed to affective material, leading to the conclusion that affect disrupted the semantic meaningfulness of the material while not influencing the total number of words recalled. For paranoids only, recall of neutral material was better than that for affective material at every level of constraint. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Length of hospitalization and rate of readmission of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

The underrepresentation of paranoids-a group that manifests less psychological deficit-in hospitalized chronic schizophrenic cohorts has been cited as a source of sampling bias in behavioral studies comparing acute and chronic schizophrenics. The sampling bias hypothesis assumes this underrepresentation to be due to the better social prognosis of paranoid patients. The present study examined hospitalization and follow-up records for 1,249 consecutive inpatient admissions. Consistent with the sampling bias assumption, paranoids were found to be hospitalized more briefly than nonparanoids and to experience fewer rehospitalizations 1, 3, and 5 yrs after discharge. As expected, the social prognosis of 1st admissions was found to be more favorable than that of readmissions, independently of paranoid symptomatology. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Maine Scale of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia: Reliability and validity.

Examined the Maine Scale (MS) in 3 studies (131 18–60 yr old hospitalized psychiatric patients) in which adequate test–retest and independent interrater reliabilities were obtained. In an examination of construct validity, high scores on the Nonparanoid subscale were associated with external locus of control; poor performance on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Vocabulary, the Expanded Similarities Test, and the Embedded Figures Test; conceptual overinclusion; slow RT; deviant word associations; and poor recall of word associations. In an examination of concurrent validity, the MS Paranoid and Nonparanoid subscales correlated significantly with the corresponding subscales of the Symptom Rating Scale and the Symptom-Sign Inventory. The MS subscales also correlated significantly with the Weighted Symptom-Sign Inventory and the New Haven Schizophrenia Index but were better able to discriminate between paranoid and schizophrenic categories than any of the other scales. Factor analyses showed a schizophrenic and paranoid factor in both studies. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recognition of posed and genuine facial expressions of emotion in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia.

Most previous research reporting emotion-recognition deficits in schizophrenia has used posed facial expressions of emotion and chronic-schizophrenia patients. In contrast, the present research examined the ability of patients with acute paranoid and nonparanoid (disorganized) schizophrenia to recognize genuine as well as posed facial expressions of emotion. Evidence of an emotion-recognition deficit in schizophrenia was replicated, but only when posed facial expressions were used. For genuine expressions of emotion, the paranoid-schizophrenia group was more accurate than controls, nonparanoid-schizophrenia patients, and depressed patients. Future research clearly needs to consider the posed versus genuine nature of the emotional stimuli used and the type of schizophrenia patients examined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Same–different judgments in paranoid and schizophrenic patients: A laterality study.

12 normal, 12 paranoid, and 12 nonparanoid schizophrenic Ss were presented with arrays of stimuli to the left, right, or both hemispheres and told to say whether all the stimuli in the array were the same or different. Results fail to confirm the hypothesis that there is a dysfunction of hemispheric operation in paranoid or nonparanoid schizophrenia. There was, however, some evidence that paranoid patients scanned more than did nonparanoid or control Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Association of social competence with episodic vs remitted status in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia.

Assessed 4 groups of schizophrenics—episodic paranoid, episodic nonparanoid, remitted paranoid, and remitted nonparanoid (mean ages 26.57, 25.57, 31.79, and 30.93 yrs, respectively)—on E. Zigler and J. Levine's (1973) scale of social competence. Additional measures included a symptom sign inventory and the Maine Scale of Paranoid and Nonparanoid Schizophrenia. The paranoids and nonparanoids were not significantly different from one another. However, the remitted patients were significantly more socially competent than the episodic patients. Implications are discussed for the relationship between symptom severity, hospitalization, and social competence. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An event-related brain potential substrate of disturbed response monitoring in paranoid schizophrenic patients.

Response monitoring in schizophrenic patients and healthy controls was assessed by measuring performance and event-related brain potentials in the flanker priming task. Three visual-context conditions were construed: Flankers and targets pointed either into the same direction or into different directions. Stimuli without any response assignment were used as flankers in the neutral context condition. The schizophrenic patients were further subdivided into paranoid (n?=?19) and nonparanoid (n?=?10) patients and compared with healthy controls (n?=?18). Performance scores revealed that the flankers induced a similar degree of distraction by visual context in all 3 groups. Although the schizophrenic patients showed normal error correction performance, the error negativity (NE) was significantly reduced in paranoid schizophrenic patients. The attenuation of the NE possibly reflects disturbed response monitoring in these patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamics of family picture in graphic works by paranoid schizophrenic patients

The naturally radioactive but chemically inert gas, radon, is formed from the radioactive decay of radium which is part of the uranium series. Radon gas, which has a half life of 3.8 days, must escape from soil particles through air-filled pores in order to enter the atmosphere following the decay of radium. The concentration of radon in the atmosphere varies, depending on the place, time, height above the ground and meteorological conditions. It is thus an inescapable source of radiation exposure, both at home and at work. The potential hazards posed by exposure to radiation from indoor radon gas and its daughter products are of great concern worldwide. Noting of an excessive lung cancer risk among several groups of underground miners exposed to radon and its daughter products, studies on radon concentrations in the workplace and in dwellings have been conducted in many countries. The results have shown that the distribution of radon concentrations are approximately lognormal from which population weighted; the arithmetic mean of radon concentration of 40 Bq.m-3 has been adopted worldwide for dwellings and workplaces. The principal methods for reducing a high indoor radon concentration are: reducing the radon supply by reversing the pressure difference between the building and the soil; raising the resistance of the foundations to soil gas entry; removing the radon sources such as water or underlying soil; diluting the concentration by increasing the ventilation rate; and reducing the concentration of radon progeny by filtering and increasing the circulation of indoor air. Buildings which have a radon concentration higher than 200 Bq.m-3 should be investigated by the national authorities concerned; meanwhile, householders should be advised to take simple temporary precautions, such as increasing ventilation, until a permanent remedy can be effected.     

Size estimation, perceptual recognition, and cardiac rate response in acute paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Studied perceptual response styles of 8 paranoid and 8 nonparanoid schizophrenics in a VA hospital using size estimation and perceptual recognition tasks. Eight alcoholic patients were used as controls. Only acute, actively psychotic, unmedicated schizophrenics were included. Heart rate responses were monitored during the performance of the tasks. Psychological task performance and concomitant physiological responses were analyzed and integrated. The size estimation results replicate earlier findings. During the perceptual recognition task, the paranoid Ss showed a unique "jump to conclusions" response strategy. Early responding and response rigidity was not found to be specific to paranoid schizophrenics. All schizophrenic Ss showed more large-magnitude heart rate response during both tasks. The relationship between perceptual responses and physiological responses differed among the groups. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptual styles and their correlates among schizophrenic patients.

Replicated the experimental procedures on which a tridimensional model of schizophrenic perceptual functioning was based, other potentially relevant procedures included, and the resultant relationships delineated and tested through multivariate statistical techniques. Factor analysis supported the existence of the 3 dimensions of the original model stimulus intensity control, scanning control, and field articulation. Through cluster analysis there emerged groups of Ss whose differing perceptual styles paralleled the previously reported pattern of differences between paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics. Other results made several major qualifications of the original theory necessary: (1) perceptual inefficiency and anchoring emerge as additional meaningful dimensions of perceptual functioning; (2) behavioral guardedness replaces coherent paranoid delusions as a significant correlate of scanning; and (3) stimulus augmentation is related to strong internal affect only among acute patients; among chronic patients the relationship is reversed. (30 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns of role dominance and conflict in parents of schizophrenic patients.

By making observations of husband-wife interaction in an experimental setting, ratings of dominance of one parent over the other and degree of conflict could be obtained directly rather than inferred. Such ratings could be compared to data regarding the status of their children. Schizophrenic children with good and poor premorbid adjustment were compared with a comparable group of children hospitalized for tuberculosis. Good premorbids and controls were found to be from paternal-dominated families whereas poor premorbids came from maternal-dominated families. Parents of schizophrenics displayed more conflicts than those of the controls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)