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)     

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)     

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)     

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)     

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)     

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)     

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.     

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)     

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)     

Reduced range of sensory sensitivity in chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Used a forced-choice auditory signal-detection method to test the hypothesis that, compared to acute paranoid schizophrenics, chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics would show a restricted range of sensitivity to environmental cues. 40 male chronic nonparanoid and paranoid schizophrenics served as Ss. Ability to detect the presence of an auditory cue, while concurrently tracking a visual stimulus, was measured under 2 conditions, auditory monitoring being given primary or secondary importance. In this task, a narrowed range of sensitivity implies a greater deficit in ability to detect the auditory cue when the primary focus is placed elsewhere. This deficit was significantly greater in the chronics in both initial and replication experiments. The function of restricted sensitivity in limiting the range of both relevant and distracting stimuli that are responded to by chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics is discussed. (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)     

Short-term retention in acute and chronic paranoid schizophrenics.

Administered 4 short-term memory tasks to 10 acute and 10 chronic paranoid schizophrenics (age ranges 17-45 and 21-58, respectively) and 10 18-54 yr old nonprofessional hospital staff members. Each task involved the recall of a different type of material varying in meaningfulness from letter trigrams to real word triads. Recall of the material always followed 15 sec of distracting activity designed to prevent rehearsal. Acute paranoid Ss tended to overinclude intralist and extralist responses especially when the more meaningful material was used, while the chronic Ss tended to omit many more responses (p     

Broadening dual modality cue utilization in chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics.

Recent evidence suggests that chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics show a narrowed range of cue utilization, especially when cues from more than 1 sensory modality are task relevant. In the present study with 20 male nonparanoid schizophrenic inpatients, it was hypothesized that this deficit can be ameliorated. All Ss were given premeasures of narrowed cue utilization on 2 dual modality tasks. Experimental Ss were then given contingent reinforcement and feedback on 2 tasks, while controls received nonreinforced practice on 1 task and no practice on the other. The major hypothesis was supported; experimental Ss improved (i.e., broadened) significantly more than controls on both tasks. (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.     

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)     

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)     

Performance of paranoid schizophrenics on a dichotic listening task.

Used 15 adult normals and 15 institutionalized paranoid schizophrenics in a dichotic listening task within a 2 (Groups) * 2 (Associated or Unassociated Word List) * 2 (Presentation Rate) design, with repeated measures on the last 2 variables. Presentation rates were either 1 or 3 sec. Dependent variables were word recall, intrusion errors, and strategy use and accuracy. Normals recalled significantly more information than paranoid schizophrenics under all memory conditions and had significantly fewer total intrusion errors. For both groups, information recall was significantly better under the associative conditions (particularly associative structure, 3-sec presentation rate). Under the varying structure conditions, paranoid schizophrenics did not employ optimal strategies with the same frequency or degree of accuracy as normals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Speed of perceptual functioning in chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics: Partial replication and extension.

Results of a partial replication of a study by A. J. Yates and P. Korboot (see record 1971-06730-001), with 3 groups of 10 chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics, paranoid schizophrenics, and psychotic depressives as Ss, confirm the finding of the extreme slowness of functioning in chronic nonparanoid schizophrenics. The finding was extended by showing that this group was also significantly slower than chronic psychotic depressives when inspection time was measured uncontaminated by verbal response time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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)