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Psychophysiological reactivity in high-risk children
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|January 1, 1985
Summary
Offspring of schizophrenic patients did not show increased galvanic skin response (GSR) to tones. High-risk children were less reactive to meaningful stimuli, suggesting developmental lags, not hyperactivity.
Area of Science:
- Psychophysiology
- Developmental Psychology
- Schizophrenia Research
Background:
- Previous studies reported heightened autonomic responsivity in children at high risk for schizophrenia.
- Galvanic skin response (GSR) and recovery times were key indicators in prior research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate autonomic responsivity differences in offspring of schizophrenic patients compared to controls.
- To examine GSR to auditory stimuli and emotional discrimination using the Information Detection Test.
Main Methods:
- Assessed galvanic skin response (GSR) to auditory tones in high-risk and control children.
- Administered the Information Detection Test to compare GSR to meaningful versus neutral stimuli.
Main Results:
- No evidence of autonomic hyperactivity (GSR to tones) was found in high-risk subjects.
- High-risk children showed a trend towards slower GSR recovery, contrary to previous findings.
- Index subjects exhibited reduced reactivity to meaningful stimuli and poorer discrimination between stimulus types.
Conclusions:
- Findings do not support the learning theory of schizophrenia.
- Developmental lags in high-risk children may underlie observed psychophysiological differences.
- Autonomic responsivity patterns in offspring of schizophrenic patients may differ from prior reports.