Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Course and symptom and functional correlates of passivity symptoms in schizophrenia: an 18-year multi-follow-up
Ellen S Herbener1,2, Martin Harrow2
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison St., Chicago, IL60607, USA.
Background:
Change in the experience of oneself may lay the groundwork for the development of additional hallucinations and delusions in individuals with schizophrenia. However, to date, the course and symptom and functioning correlates of passivity symptoms (cf. thought insertion, thought withdrawal) have not been measured consistently over long periods of time. Information on the course and correlates of passivity symptoms is essential for developing models of their contribution to schizophrenic illness.
Method:
Eighty-two individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited at an index hospitalization and reassessed at three or more follow-ups over the following 18 years.
Results:
The results indicate that a small group of participants report passivity symptoms at all follow-ups, many reported passivity symptoms at some follow-ups, and the majority of individuals never reported passivity symptoms. The prevalence of passivity symptoms was similar to that for delusions of reference and persecutory delusions. Notably, when individuals did experience passivity symptoms, they also had a greater number of additional psychotic symptoms than individuals without passivity symptoms. Further, the presence of passivity symptoms was associated with work impairment at some assessments.
Conclusions:
Passivity symptoms present episodically, at a similar rate as delusions of reference and persecutory delusions, and when present, they are associated with having a higher number of additional psychotic symptoms, as well as having some impact on work functioning. These results suggest that passivity symptoms may increase vulnerability to additional psychotic symptoms and greater work impairment.
More Related Videos
05:48The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
13:08Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Personality Disorders: Paranoid and Schizoid
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Paranoid personality disorder is...
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes...
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
Schizophrenia