The relationship between schizotypy, empathy and mentalization based on the research of the last decade

Research on schizotypy dates back to the 1960s, and their association with mentalization also dates back at least 15 years. However, unfortunately, the results are mainly contradictory. This review aims to clarify why the results are so different and fi nd a correlation between the tests and the results. Publications for the review were selected from PubMed by searching for the following keywords: "schizotypy + theory of mind, mentalization, empathy". We also used the reference lists of published reports for additional studies. Criteria for the studies were: investigated the relationship between schizotypy and mentalization or schizotypy and empathy in a non-clinical sample. We grouped the results according to correlations, tests, theory of mind, and mentalization. Studies with relatives of schizophrenic patients were excluded from the research. The comparison included 39 articles covering a total of 42 studies. The total number of participants was 10139, with an average age of 20.4 years. Schizotypy was measured with eight different tests, mentalization was measured with 12 tests, and empathy was measured with two types of tests. Studies have found an association between schizotypal traits and mentalization or schizotypal traits and empathy in 28 cases. Research that found a correlation between mentalization and schizotypy used different tests to measure mentalization. Overall, the inconsistent results are due to the diversity of mentalization and the multidimensional characteristic of the schizotypy.