Levels of personality organization and production of associative sequences in process-reactive schizophrenia.

The 1st part of this study was essentially a replication of an earlier study which reported that genetic theory helped clarify the process-reactive dimension of schizophrenia. The Rorschach and Proverbs tests of 40 schizophrenic Ss were scored according to a genetic scoring system and correlated with Elgin Prognostic Scale scores which measured process-reactive status. Results were negative. Ss were also given 2 association tasks in which they were asked to name animals and persons they had known and several measures were obtained from these associative sequences. A significant difference between process and reactive groups was found on total number of associations on both tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Verbal abstracting ability and schizophrenia.

The Benjamin Proverbs Test was administered to 3 groups of 40 Ss each: reactive schizophrenics, process schizophrenics, and normal control Ss. Patients were rated for prognosis using the Premorbid subscale of the Phillips Prognostic Rating Scale. Ss were matched for education, vocabulary, age, and socioeconomic status of father. Proverbs were scored by 3 judges working independently. Highly significant differences were found among the 3 groups in ability to interpret proverbs. Process schizophrenics showed the greatest degree of impairment; reactive schizophrenics showed significant impairment, as compared to normal controls, but significantly less impairment than did process schizophrenics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Premorbid status in schizophrenia and abstract, literal or autistic proverb interpretation.

Examined the relationship between scores on the Premorbid Adjustment scale of the Phillips Prognostic Rating Scale and responses to the Gorham Proverbs Test scored for correct abstraction, literalness, and autism. Ss were 42 male and 6 female schizophrenics (mean age 34 yrs) who also completed the Vocabulary subscale of the WAIS. As was found in previous studies, there was a significant relationship between the Phillips scale score and scores on correct abstracting ability such that process schizophrenics were less abstract. However, there was no significant relationship between the Phillips scale scores and scores for literalness, even though literalness scores were strongly related to correct abstraction scores. Autism scores were the most strongly related to the Phillips scale scores. It is concluded that process schizophrenics are not more literal than reactives but that the difference in correct abstracting ability is at least in part due to differences in autistic responding such that process schizophrenics tend to give more autistic responses than do reactives. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Videotape self-confrontation of schizophrenic ego and thought processes.

Recent studies in videotape self-confrontation, analogous to previous research with primarily nonverbal techniques, suggested an ideal treatment vehicle for modifying disturbed ego and thought processes in schizophrenics. Posttest data on the Rorschach Prognostic Rating Scale indicated no change in the 15 male schizophrenics exposed to videotape self-confrontation when compared to 15 nonexposed schizophrenics and 15 normals exposed to self-confrontation. Normals unexpectedly did change on 2 of 3 dependent variable measures. The role of defense in the self-confrontation experience is discussed in relation to the need for more definitive research with videotape applications. (40 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomic responsivity to variable input rates among schizophrenics classified on the process-reactive dimension.

Schizophrenic groups rated low (reactive), intermediate, and high (process) on the Elgin Prognostic Scale and a group of normal Ss discriminated between matched and unmatched pairs of nonsense syllables under varying rates of input. Continuous PGR measures were recorded as the Ss responded to the syllable pairs. Stimulus overload (defined as the extent to which the Ss were unable to respond appropriately) was assessed and shown to be consistent across groups. The groups were differentiated as to PGR responsivity. Among the schizophrenic Ss, the reactive group was the most responsive and the process Ss were least responsive to increase in rate of input. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived maternal nurturance and control of process schizophrenics, reactive schizophrenics, and normals.

Attempted to compare the amount of maternal nurturance and control as measured by A. B. Heilbrun (see 38:5) in 3 S groups 33 male process schizophrenics, 33 male reactive schizophrenics, and 198 normal male undergraduates. Ss were administered the "Parent Attitude Research Instrument . . . measuring control and the Parent-Child Interaction Rating Scale . . . measuring nurturance." Results support the hypothesis "of nurturance differences being present between the mothers of process schizophrenics and mothers of reactive schizophrenics" and "the process-reactive distinction in regard to differences in prior family interaction." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An experiment of Gestalt group therapy with hospitalized schizophrenics.

Tested the hypothesis that the use of gestalt methods in groups with schizophrenics will increase the level of reality differentiation and perception. 17 21–43 yr old schizophrenics served as Ss. Two measurements of the Rorschach were used to test reality perception. Results show a significant increase in one measurement of reality perception in the experimental group as opposed to the control group, supporting the hypothesis. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Residual performance deficit in clinically remitted schizophrenics: A marker of schizophrenia?

The study of remitted schizophrenic outpatients is proposed as a way of minimizing the effects of the "nuisance variables" that confound the study of hospitalized schizophrenics. 20 hospitalized acutely disturbed schizophrenics (mean age, 37.0 yrs), 20 schizophrenic outpatients in clinical remission (mean age, 42.8 yrs) and 20 normal controls (mean age, 35.1 yrs) were administered a span of apprehension test and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). All Ss were controlled for sex and WAIS scores and schizophrenics were rated with Phillips Prognostic Rating Scale. On the CPT, both acute and remitted schizophrenics made significantly more errors of omission and commission than did the normal controls. On the span of apprehension, both groups of schizophrenics showed a significantly greater decrement in accuracy of detection of the target stimuli than did normal controls. The same pattern of results has been observed in children at risk for schizophrenia, which suggests that the span of apprehension may be sensitive to core schizophrenic processes that are independent of clinical state. The cross-sectional study of the 3 stages of schizophrenia—the premorbid, acute, and remitted—is proposed as a way of identifying "core" schizophrenic processes and markers of vulnerability to schizophrenia. The adequacy of a general "attentional impairment" interpretation of schizophrenic deficit is questioned. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Formal operations in reactive and process schizophrenics.

Administered E. S. Lunzer's Analogies Test (tapping formal operations) to 40 male process schizophrenics, 15 reactive schizophrenics, and 14 normal controls in a test of the hypothesis that reactive Ss demonstrate more formal operational capacities than process Ss and that normal Ss perform better than both schizophrenic groups. In selecting Ss, an attempt was made to control for age, sex, race, education, length of hospitalization, incidence of addiction problems, number of ECS treatments, and incidence of organic brain pathology. Analyses of variance and covariance supported the basic hypothesis even when differences in general vocabulary level were controlled. Piaget's theory is discussed as providing an explanatory framework for pathological as well as normal cognitive processes. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Representational boundaries in role portrayals among paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic patients.

Studied the boundary properties of self and other representations in 31 normal Ss (mean age 18.8 yrs) and in 18 paranoid (mean age 21.2 yrs), 14 intermediate (mean age 21.9 yrs), and 16 nonparanoid (mean age 22.1 yrs) inpatient schizophrenics, using a dramatic role-playing technique. Role test and Rorschach responses were scored for presence of fluid and rigid boundaries between representations of human characters. Paranoid schizophrenics evidenced higher levels of rigid boundaries, nonparanoid schizophrenics had higher levels of fluid boundaries, and normal Ss showed fewer fluid or rigid boundaries. Rorschach and role test measures of boundary disruption were significantly correlated with each other and with other measures of psychopathology. Findings suggest that the relative balance between fluid and rigid representational boundaries is an effective discriminator of paranoid and nonparanoid subtypes and that the presence of either type of boundary imagery discriminates schizophrenics from normal Ss. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examiner sex, subject sex, and Rorschach productivity.

Investigated the number of Rorschach responses given by 64 male and female clients to 41 male and female graduate students serving as Es. 2 tests were made of the hypothesis that more responses would be given in the female S-male E situation than in any other sex combination. The hypothesis was supported. When a male E tested both a male and female S, the female gave more responses (p = .02); when the sample included male Es who tested either a male S or female S, female Ss again gave more responses than males (p = .05). No such differential effects were found for female Es with male and female Ss. Results are consistent with R. Rosenthal's (see 41:7, 41:8) findings that the male E-female S situation produces unique results. (21 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perception of maternal child-rearing attitudes by schizophrenic males, their normal male siblings, and normal males whose siblings are normal.

This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that a group of normal male siblings of schizophrenics (N-Sc) will agree with a group of male schizophrenic siblings (Sc-N) in their perception of their mothers' child-rearing attitudes and will perceive these attitudes as being more deviant (undesirable) than a group of normal males whose siblings are all normal (N-N). Perception was measured on a child-study questionnaire which Ss were instructed to answer as they thought their mothers would have when Ss were growing up. The results were that the normal siblings of schizophrenics perceive their mothers' attitudes as being more martyred and subtly dominating than do normal siblings of normals (p = .05). There were no other significant differences, although the trend was toward perception of maternal attitudes as least deviant by the N-N group, most deviant by the N-Sc group, and in-between by the Sc-N group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A prediction of patterns of schizophrenic error resulting from semantic generalization.

Conducted a study with 2 groups of 26 male schizophrenics and normal psychiatric aides (mean age = 45 yr) to test predictions derived from a theory of disordered thought by L. J. Chapman, J. P. Chapman, and G. A. Miller (see PA, Vol. 39:10059) concerning the conditions under which schizophrenic Ss exhibit excessive generalization errors. The theory assumes that both the schizophrenic and normal are biased toward responding to words in terms of the words' strongest aspects of meaning, but that schizophrenics are more strongly biased toward this than are normals. Ss were instructed to indicate by pressing buttons marked "yes" and "no" whether or not test words presented in serial fashion on a memory drum had appeared on a previous training list. "Yes" responses to test words not appearing on a previous training list were the measures of generalization errors. The predictions were supported by the finding that schizophrenics made significantly more errors to words on the test list that shared strong meaning responses (p     

Body-image aberration in schizophrenia.

A 28-item true–false scale was constructed to measure schizophrenic body-image aberration. The scale was standardized on both 631 male and 718 female college students and 100 male noncollege normal controls (mean age 31.7 yrs). The 74 male schizophrenic Ss reported more body-image aberration than normal nonstudent Ss, but only a portion of the schizophrenics were deviant. 20 male nonpsychotic clinic clients did not have heightened scores. Correlational findings indicate that schizophrenic body-image aberration is an aspect of a broader perceptual aberration. Scores on body-image aberration were negatively correlated with time since first hospitalization. The Body-Image Aberration Scale had essentially no correlation with the Physical Anhedonia Scale (L. J. Chapman, J. P. Chapman, and M. L. Raulin) for schizophrenics. For nonschizophrenics, however, high scores on the 2 scales accompanied one another significantly less often than expected by chance. It is suggested that the 2 scales may identify alternative manifestations of proneness toward the same schizophrenia. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impairment in abstract conceptualization and Bannister and Fransella's grid test of schizophrenic thought disorder.

Hypothesized that measures of thought disorder derived from D. Bannister and F. Fransella's (see record 1966-10277-001) theory and from an earlier theory would covary in a sample of 38 male psychiatric inpatients not initially diagnosed as schizophrenics. Ss were administered Part II of the Object Sorting Task and Bannister and Fransella's grid test of schizophrenic thought disorder. Results support the hypothesis that the recently developed grid measures are related to earlier theories which consider impairment in abstract conceptualization the hallmark of schizophrenic thought disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirical test of the "levels" hypothesis with five projective techniques.

Tested the "levels" hypothesis that there is an inverse relationship between the degree of stimulus structure in a test and the level of personality impulse-control system being tapped by the test, for 20 normal and 20 psychiatric Ss. As predicted, an inverse relationship between pathology and stimulus structure over 5 tests (from low-high structure Draw-a-Person, Rorschach, TAT, Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank, and Bender-Gestalt) was found for normals. Contrary to hypothesis, no such relationship appeared for psychiatric Ss. Other hypotheses that psychiatric Ss manifest more projection and more pathology than normals, and that there is a significant correlation between pathology and projection for every test for each group were confirmed. A new theory of projection of pathology as a function of the stimulus structure of tests is proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral correlates of the Rorschach shading determinant.

To test Beck's interpretation of the Rorschach Y determinant, 10 Low Y and 10 High Y male psychiatric inpatients were obtained from 4 hospitals. The hypothesis that High Y Ss are more resigned and inhibited than Low Y Ss was tested with 2 kinds of data about the overt behavior of the sample: interviews with the Ss and interviews with 3 staff members having contacts with them. The Patient Interviews confirmed the hypothesis at the .05 level. The Staff Interviews differentiated the Ss in the predicted direction at the .05 level on small psychiatric wards but not on a large ward. 2 hypotheses about this inconsistency are presented for future investigation. Clinical interpretation of the shading determinant is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Redundancy-associated deficit in schizophrenic reaction time performance.

Examined the influence of information redundancy on the reaction-time performance of 3 groups of females: 36 hospitalized schizophrenics defined as process or reactive by the Elgin Prognostic Rating Scale; 18 nonschizophrenic psychiatric-patient controls; and 18 normal hospital staff controls. The influence of information redundancy was assessed by manipulating the degree of regularity in the presentation of preparatory interval (PI) durations. Runs of 2 and 4 identical PIs, defined as low and high redundant sets, respectively, were embedded in an irregular order of trials to test the influence associated with regular presentation. In contrast to previous analyses showing that the irregular vs. regular presentation condition interacts with PI duration, the interaction was found for process patients only. This interaction took the form of a "crossover" in which the regular PI trials yielded worse performance than the irregular trials at long PI durations; the opposite was true for short durations. Redundant PIs tended to show an improved performance immediately and then, for the process group only, a progressive loss on successive trials. An interpretation in light of D. Shakow's (see record 1965-08514-001) "set theory" and an inhibitory process explanation are disucssed. (25 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Failure to find an effect of subliminal psychodynamic activation upon cognitive measures of pathology in schizophrenia.

Replicated the work of L. H. Silverman and colleagues (see PA, Vols 43:14557 and 46:1566), using 30 21–59 yr old schizophrenics. Ss were exposed to an aggressive, a merging, and a meaningless lexical stimulus in a within-S design. Dependent variables were inkblot thought pathology and form quality, as measured on Rorschach and Holtzman Inkblot Technique cards, and performance on the interference task of the Stroop Color-Word Test. Analyses of variance conducted on simple poststimulation scores, rather than on unreliable change scores, revealed no effect of stimulus content. Predicted interactions between stimulus content, Ss' self–object differentiation, and temporal position of the assessment tasks did not emerge. Findings do not support Silverman's hypothesis that subliminal tachistoscopic presentations of stimuli with aggressive content temporarily increase thinking disorder in schizophrenics. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Boundary disturbances in schizophrenia.

Studied 4 types of index associated with the concept of "boundary" with 171 psychiatric inpatients who were tested with the Rorschach and independently assessed on other aspects of psychopathology (e.g., measures of depersonalization, stimulus overinclusion, and derealization). Contaminations and fabulized combinations were correlated with indices of pathology from Rorschach and with other psychopathology measures. Penetration scores were related to some indices of psychopathology, while barrier scores were unrelated to pathology. Contaminations were more frequent in schizophrenics than in any other diagnostic group. Fabulized combinations were more frequent among schizophrenics and latent schizophrenics than in depressives. Penetration responses were less frequent in depressives than in any other group. Support was found for the hypothesis that schizophrenics give certain types of responses considered indicative of boundary disturbance such as contamination responses. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)