Further examination of ambivalence in relation to the schizophrenia spectrum

It remains unclear whether ambivalence reflects genetic liability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. This study examined whether task-measured ambivalence is 1) increased in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, 2) significantly associated with schizophrenia symptoms, and/or 3) increased in first-degree biological relatives of probands. Consistent with previous research, ambivalence was elevated in schizophrenia/schizoaffective probands and significantly related to current emotional state, but not to symptoms. Ambivalence was not elevated in relatives, suggesting that it may be unrelated to genetic liability. These results suggest that emotional state may differentially influences ambivalence across groups. Future research would benefit from examination of this question in a larger cohort.