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A mass of flesh: schizophrenic Rorschach percepts

R Koide1, C P Chien, S Iizuka

  • 1Institute of Clinical Medicine and the Institute of Community Medicine, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba-Shu, Japan.

Comprehensive Psychiatry
|November 20, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Schizophrenic patients often perceive "flesh masses" in Rorschach tests, a finding not seen in healthy adults. This unique percept appears characteristic of both acute and chronic schizophrenia.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • The Rorschach inkblot test is a projective psychological test.
  • Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder characterized by distorted thoughts and perceptions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of "flesh mass" percepts in Rorschach tests among schizophrenic patients.
  • To determine if "flesh mass" percepts are specific to schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • Developed inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify explicit and implicit "flesh masses" in Rorschach responses.
  • Analyzed Rorschach data from 76 chronic schizophrenic patients.
  • Examined Rorschach data from patients with acute schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, psychotic mood disorders, and healthy adults, using DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • "Flesh masses" were observed in 75 of 76 chronic schizophrenic patients and all acute schizophrenic patients.
  • Only a small number of patients with anxiety or mood disorders perceived "flesh masses".
  • No "flesh masses" were reported by normal adults.

Conclusions:

  • The perception of "flesh masses" in Rorschach tests is highly characteristic of schizophrenia.
  • This finding holds true for both chronic and acute forms of the disorder.

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