Putatively psychosis-prone subjects 10 years later.

The predictive validities of several indicators of psychosis proneness were evaluated in a 10-yr longitudinal study (N?=?508). As hypothesized, high scorers on the Perceptual Aberration Scale, Magical Ideation Scale, or both (n?=?182), especially those who initially reported psychoticlike experiences of at least moderate deviance, exceeded control Ss (n?=?153) on psychoses (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III—Revised [DSM-III-R]), psychotic relatives, schizotypal symptoms, and psychoticlike experiences at follow-up. Ss who initially scored high on the Magical Ideation Scale and above the mean on the Social Anhedonia Scale were especially deviant. The Physical Anhedonia Scale and the Impulsive Nonconformity Scale were not effective predictors of psychosis proneness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Handedness of hypothetically psychosis-prone subjects.

It has been reported that more schizophrenic individuals than normal subjects exhibit nonrighthandedness. A group of 7,457 college students were administered a measure of handedness as well as three psychosis-proneness scales, namely, the Perceptual Aberration-Magical Ideation Scale (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1978; Eckblad & Chapman, 1983), the Impulsive Nonconformity Scale (Chapman et al., 1984), and the Physical Anhedonia Scale (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1976). The number of subjects scoring high on the Perceptual Abberation-Magical Ideation Scale or the Impulsive Nonconformity Scale (or both) exceeded the number of control subjects on the incidence of ambilateral (mixed) handedness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continued word association in hypothetically psychosis-prone college students.

White male undergraduates who scored deviantly high (2 standard deviations above the mean) on the Physical Anhedonia Scale, the Perceptual Aberration/Magical Ideation (Per/Mag) Scale, or the Nonconformity Scale were compared with controls on either a structured (n?=?63) or an unstructured (n?=?81) continued word-association task. This task has often been used as a measure of psychotic thought disorder. On the unstructured word-association task, Per/Mag Ss produced proportionately more unusual idiosyncratic responses, proportionately fewer common responses, fewer popular responses, and lower response commonality scores than did controls, and these differences were due to those Per/Mag Ss who had also scored at least 1 standard deviation above the mean on the Nonconformity Scale. These findings show mild cognitive slippage in these Ss. Results support the validity of the Per/Mag Scale as a measure of psychosis proneness and the validity of the Nonconformity Scale as a potentiator in the identification of psychosis proneness. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social anhedonia in the prediction of psychosis proneness.

Investigated, in 3 studies using 203 undergraduates (80 females and 123 males), the validity of the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (RSAS) and the role of social anhedonia as measured by the scale. Ss were drawn from a pool of approximately 6,000 undergraduates administered the scale. In Study 1, 38 Ss who scored deviantly high on the RSAS and 45 undergraduate controls participated in a structured interview derived from modified versions of a social adjustment scale and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia—Lifetime version. Results show that socially anhedonic Ss had a marked pattern of social withdrawal. Results of Study 2 show that socially anhedonic females reported more schizotypal features and more deviant psychoticlike experiences than controls. In Study 3, scores of 79 Ss who scored high on the Perceptual Aberration–Magical Ideation subscale of the RSAS were analyzed. Ss scoring high who were also socially anhedonic reported poorer social adjustment than did nonanhedonic Ss. Socially anhedonic males reported more schizotypal features and more deviant psychoticlike experiences. Findings provide validity for the RSAS and suggest that it may be of use in identifying hypothetically psychosis-prone individuals. (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Communication effectiveness in psychosis-prone college students.

Studied 70 college students who scored deviantly high on 1 of 3 scales that are hypothesized to measure psychosis-proneness: the Physical Anhedonia Scale, Perceptual Aberration Scale, and the Nonconformity Scale. These Ss were compared with 26 controls on a word-communication task (S. Rosenberg and B. D. Cohen, 1966). Prior evidence supports this task as a measure of schizophrenic failure to self-edit utterances to facilitate communication. The perceptually aberrant Ss, especially those who also scored above the median on nonconformity, were inferior to controls on this task, but not on a vocabulary control task. Findings suggest that these perceptually aberrant nonconforming Ss may be at higher-than-normal risk for psychosis. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of drug and alcohol use by psychosis-prone and impulsive-nonconforming individuals.

The rates of substance use and abuse are higher among psychotic patients and antisocial individuals than in the general population. In a 10-year longitudinal study, psychosis-prone individuals identified by the Perceptual Aberration (L. J. Chapman, J. P. Chapman, M. L. Raulin, 1976) and Magical Ideation (Per-Mag) scales (M. Eckblad & L. J. Chapman, 1983), and individuals with antisocial traits, identified by the Impulsive Nonconformity (Noncon) scale (L. J. Chapman et al., 1984), exceeded a control group on rates of substance use disorders. As hypothesized, the Per-Mag group demonstrated preferential patterns of substance use similar to those reported for schizophrenic patients. Participants who scored deviantly on both the Per-Mag and Noncon scales were at especially heightened risk for substance use disorders. Psychosis proneness at the initial screening predicted substance abuse at the follow-up evaluation, but substance abuse at the initial interview did not predict later clinical psychosis or psychoticlike experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the 2-7-8 MMPI profile and the Perceptual Aberration—Magical Ideation Scale in identifying hypothetically psychosis-prone college students.

Compared college students with 2-7-8 profiles (from the D, Pt, and Sc scales, respectively) on the MMPI and students scoring high on the Perceptual Aberration–Magical Ideation (PAMIS) Scale on symptoms that are thought to indicate psychosis proneness. A modified Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia—Lifetime Version interview revealed that the PAMIS group (19 males, 22 females) and 2-7-8-group (19 males, 20 females) did not differ on the number of Ss with psychotic and psychoticlike experiences. For both sexes, however, the PAMIS group exceeded the 2-7-8 group on the number of schizotypal experiences; the male PAMIS group also surpassed the male 2-7-8 group on hypomania. The groups were similar on depression and several other disorders as defined by Research Diagnostic Criteria. Findings suggest that some of the Ss identified by both scales were at elevated risk for psychosis. However, because only 3 Ss were selected by both scales, the MMPI 2-7-8 profile and the PAMIS selected different groups from that population. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of high scorers on the Hypomanic Personality Scale.

Former college students (n?=?36) identified by high scores on the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HYP; Eckblad & Chapman, 1986) were compared with control participants (n?=?31) at a 13-year follow-up assessment. As hypothesized, the HYP group reported more bipolar disorders and major depressive episodes than the control group. The HYP group also exceeded the control group on the severity of psychotic-like experiences, symptoms of borderline personality disorder, and rates of substance use disorders. HYP group members with elevated scores on the Impulsive–Nonconformity Scale (Chapman et al., 1984) experienced greater rates of bipolar mood disorders, poorer overall adjustment, and higher rates of arrest than the remaining HYP or control participants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hopelessness, depression, and suicidal intent among psychiatrically disturbed inpatient children.

The Hoplessness Scale for Children was developed and administered to 66 8–13 yr old children along with the Children's Depression Inventory, Bellevue Index of Depression, Depression Symptom Checklist, and the Self-Esteem Inventory. As predicted, Ss who scored high on the Hopelessness Scale showed significantly more severe depression and lower self-esteem than those who scored low on the scale. Ss who evinced suicidal attempt or ideation, independently assessed at intake diagnosis, showed greater hopelessness than Ss with no such intent. Suicidal intent was more consistently correlated with hopelessness than with depression, a finding parallel to results obtained with adults. Overall, findings suggest that negative expectations toward oneself and the future can be assessed in children and are related both to depression and suicidal intent. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in spatial working memory in relation to schizotypy.

With a delayed-response task, spatial working memory function was assessed in normal students who were selected for schizotypy. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test was also administered. Twenty-eight undergraduate students who scored high on the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PerAb) and 23 who scored low on this scale participated in this study. High PerAb students performed less accurately compared with the low PerAb controls on the delayed-response task, and they were more than twice as likely as low PerAb students to be impaired. The groups did not differ in the number of perseverative errors or number of categories achieved on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, but, as predicted, high PerAb students were less able to maintain set than were the low PerAb students. Neuropsychological implications of these data are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Positive thought disorder in a hypothetically psychosis-prone population.

Proverb interpretations of subjects who scored high on the Perceptual Aberration-Magical Ideation Scale (Per-Mags) (Chapman & Chapman, 1985) were compared with those of low-scoring controls. Responses to 10 familiar and 3 unfamiliar proverbs were scored for Bizarre-idiosyncratic thinking (J. Marengo et al; see record 1987-30079-001) and literalness (C. A. Hertler et al; see record 1979-12346-001). A Group by Type of Proverb (familiar versus unfamiliar) interaction was found for bizarre-idiosyncratic scores; Per-Mags scored higher than controls on unfamiliar, but not familiar proverbs. The Group?×?Familiarity interaction for bizarre-idiosyncratic scores indicates that the Per-Mag group displayed a subclinical, positive-thought disorder that is affected by the familiarity of the proverbs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antisaccade task performance in questionnaire-identified schizotypes

Individuals who scored high on Perceptual Aberration-Magical Ideation Scales (Per-Mag; n = 90), the Social Anhedonia Scale (SocAnh; n = 39), and control participants (n = 89) were administered saccadic refixation (prosaccade) and saccadic suppression (antisaccade) tasks. Eye movements were scored in terms of error rates and latency. None of the groups differed in terms of their performance on the prosaccade task. Both the Per-Mag (p < 0.01) and SocAnh (p < 0.05) groups exceeded the controls in terms of mean antisaccade errors. The high-risk groups did not differ from each other. Eighteen of the Per-Mag individuals and 10 of the SocAnh individuals displayed deviant antisaccade performance. These findings are particularly interesting in light of suggestive evidence that antisaccade task deficits may serve as a marker of susceptibility to schizophrenia. It is hypothesized that the individuals who scored aberrantly on the Chapman scales and displayed antisaccade performance deficits are most likely to be at risk for the development of psychosis.     

Cognitive therapy of psychotic depression: A case report.

Treatment with cognitive therapy (milieu therapy and 12 individual sessions) was associated with significant clinical improvement and reduction of symptoms on measures of mood and cognition in a 21-yr-old female psychotic depressive. Cognitive restructuring as proposed by A. T. Beck et al (1979) was emphasized. Improvements were noted through the use of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Results were achieved without the use of medication. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of empathy.

Factor analysis of R. Hogan's Empathy Scale, scored in Likert format, yielded 4 factors: Social Self-Confidence, Even Temperedness, Sensitivity, and Nonconformity. Data for the analysis were obtained from 168 undergraduates and from the 45 research scientists and 66 student engineers in Hogan's (1969) study; 65 males and 45 females also completed a battery of personality measures (e.g., 2 scales of the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, the Survey of Ethical Attitudes, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index). Correlations with the 16 personality measures and a set of 12 adjective rating scales confirmed the factors' unique psychological meanings. Empathy subscales, created from items loading primarily on 1 factor, accounted for roughly equal amounts of variance in Hogan's original Q-set empathy criterion, although the Sensitivity and Nonconformity factors appeared to be slightly more important. Implications include ways to improve the scoring of the Empathy Scale for future research and several broader measurement issues: the costs and benefits of using sophisticated statistics, the importance of manifest item content, and the importance of scale homogeneity. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Negative symptoms in stroke patients and length of hospital stay

The purpose of this study was to assess whether the presence and severity of psychiatric symptoms in stroke patients correlate with their length of stay (LOS) in a rehabilitation unit, with special emphasis on the role of negative symptoms (NS). Twenty-three stroke patients, consecutively recruited from the inpatient rehabilitation unit, were evaluated on admission with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and the Functional Independent Measure (FIM). NS scores significantly correlated with LOS, with SANS total score being the most informative, and the attentional impairment subscale the least. The group of patients with pronounced NS stayed in the hospital twice as long as patients with the score on the NS subscale of PANSS below 16. These two groups did not differ in their cognitive performance or in the positive symptom subscale of PANSS scores. Total FIM score on admission was lower and HDRS scores higher in patients with pronounced NS. However, these differences, unlike those of LOS, have not reached statistical significance. The presence and severity of NS in stroke patients are associated with a longer hospital stay. Identification and treatment of NS might lead to a faster discharge from rehabilitation unit.     

Reliabilities and intercorrelations of eight measures of proneness to psychosis.

Scales thought to measure psychosis proneness—Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Psychoticism scale; the Schizoidia scale; composite scales for the MMPI 2-7-8 and 2-7-8-0 profiles; and Physical Anhedonia, Perceptual Aberration, Magical Ideation, and Nonconformity scales—were compared on their coefficient-alpha estimate of reliability and were intercorrelated, using 7,614 college students and 340 outpatient clinic clients. Test–retest reliability was examined for 5 of the scales using 511 college students. The Psychoticism and Nonconformity scales were found to measure the same pathology, but the Nonconformity scale did so more reliably. The Schizoidia scale was found to measure the same pathology as the MMPI 2-7-8 and 2-7-8-0 scales, but the longer MMPI scales did so more reliably. The Magical Ideation and Perceptual Aberration scales were highly correlated, and both had a negative correlation with the Physical Anhedonia scale. The MMPI 2-7-8 and 2-7-8-0 scales correlated positively with all of the other scales, indicating that these MMPI composite scales are sensitive to more than one kind of pathology. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and field evaluation of an interdisciplinary measure of job design.

Developed a taxonomy of job design approaches from the literature, including (1) a motivational approach from organizational psychology, (2) a mechanistic approach from classic industrial engineering, (3) a biological approach from work physiology and biomechanics, and (4) a perceptual/motor approach from experimental psychology. The Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire (MJDQ) was developed reflecting these approaches. A corresponding taxonomy of job outcomes was developed, and hypotheses were generated about relationships between job design approaches and outcomes. A field study of 121 jobs, 215 19–63 yr old job incumbents, and 23 27–58 yr old supervisors was conducted using this instrument. Results show that the MJDQ was reliable and that most hypotheses were supported. Jobs that scored high on the Motivational subscale had employees who were more satisfied and motivated, rated higher on job performance, and exhibited less absenteeism. Jobs high on the Mechanistic subscale had higher utilization levels and lower training requirements. Jobs high on the Biological scale required less physical effort, produced fewer aches and pains, and resulted in fewer medical incidents. Jobs high on the Perceptual/Motor scale were less likely to produce accidents, errors, stress, and work overload and required fewer mental demands. Sample items are appended. (113 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concurrent validity of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory depression scales.

In a sample of 95 psychiatric clinic outpatients, this investigation compared two new measures of depression (Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory [MCMI] Dysthymia and Major Depression subscales) with two established instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a self-report measure that emphasizes the cognitive-affective aspects of depression, and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), and interview measure that emphasizes somatic complaints. All measures were significantly intercorrelated. The relatively weaker relations between the HRSD and the MCMI depression subscales, which resulted because of their neglect of vegetative depressive symptoms, pose a serious problem for interpreting the meaning of the MCMI Major Depression subscale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)