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Distractibility in schizophrenia: state and trait aspects
B Spring1, M Lemon, L Weinstein
1Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University.
The British Journal of Psychiatry. Supplement
|July 1, 1989
Summary
Selective attention deficits are a marker of schizophrenia episodes, with distractibility appearing in psychotic patients and vulnerable relatives. Intrusion errors may indicate a vulnerability marker for schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by disruptions in thought processes and perception.
- Selective attention is crucial for cognitive function and may be impaired in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate selective attention deficits in various groups associated with schizophrenia.
- To identify potential state and trait markers of distractibility in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Compared selective attention performance in schizophrenic in-patients, out-patients, clinically remitted patients, first-degree relatives, at-risk students, and normal controls.
- Assessed performance under distracting conditions.
Main Results:
- Distractors significantly impaired selective attention only in schizophrenic in-patients, indicating a state-dependent deficit.
- Intrusion errors (interjecting phonemes from distractors) were observed in psychotic patients and non-psychotic vulnerable groups.
Conclusions:
- Differential deficits in selective attention are a marker for active schizophrenia episodes.
- Intrusion errors may represent a vulnerability marker for schizophrenia, suggesting both state and trait components to distractibility.