Search

Background Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) are first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There have been few direct comparisons of CPT and PE intended to determine their comparative effectiveness, none of which have examined outcomes among military veterans receiving these treatments in a residential setting such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) residential rehabilitation treatment programs (RRTPs). Such work is essential given that these veterans are among the most complex and severely symptomatic patients with PTSD treated in VA. In this study we compared changes in PTSD and depressive symptoms across admission, discharge, four months and 12 months following discharge among veterans who received CPT or PE within VA RRTPs. Methods Using linear mixed models conducted on program evaluation data derived from the electronic medical record and follow-up surveys, we compared self-reported PTSD and depressive symptom outcomes among 1130 veterans with PTSD who were treated with individual CPT (n = 832, 73.5%) or PE (n = 297, 26.5%) in VA PTSD RRTPs in fiscal years 2018–2020. Results PTSD and depressive symptom severity did not significantly differ at any time points. The CPT and PE groups both showed large-sized reductions in PTSD (CPT d = 1.41, PE d = 1.51) and depression (CPT d = 1.01, PE d = 1.09) from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Conclusions Outcomes for PE and CPT do not differ among a highly complex population of veterans with severe PTSD and several comorbid conditions that can make it difficult to engage in treatment.

Previous research has examined risk factors associated with poorer treatment outcomes for military Veterans with PTSD. However, work has not examined risk for symptom worsening among Veterans with subthreshold PTSD. The aim of this study was to examine demographic, psychiatric, physical health, and pre-treatment PTSD symptom clusters associated with clinically significant worsening of PTSD among a nationally representative sample of United States (U.S.) Veterans with subthreshold PTSD. Participants were Veterans (weighted N = 3162; unweighted N = 236) with subthreshold PTSD entering a new episode of treatment at U.S. Veterans Affairs PTSD specialty clinics during fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Data was collected as part of the Veterans Outcome Assessment, a yearly baseline and 3-month follow-up telephone survey. Analyses used weighted calculations to support the use of VOA data to draw inferences about all eligible Veterans, and binary logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for symptom worsening. Over 1/3 (37.7%) of Veterans with subthreshold PTSD experienced clinically significant symptom worsening from baseline to follow-up. Adjusted analyses revealed several risk factors for symptom worsening, including demographic (e.g., male sex, White race), psychiatric (personality and anxiety disorders), health care utilization (e.g., more primary care encounters in the previous year), physical health disability, and specific baseline PTSD symptom clusters (negative affect and anxious arousal). Findings suggest that Veterans with subthreshold symptoms seeking treatment for PTSD are at risk for symptom worsening, and highlight the importance of assessment, prevention, and treatment in targeting veterans with PTSD symptoms below the diagnostic threshold.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is complicated by high rates of problematic drinking and comorbid alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study examined veterans seeking residential PTSD treatment, comparing those with and without AUD, to determine whether trauma type and/or PTSD symptom changes during treatment were associated with binge drinking at 4-month follow-up. Analyses compared characteristics of veterans (N = 758) in residential treatment, as well as associations of demographic, trauma, and alcohol-related variables, with binge drinking episodes at follow-up. Results showed no differences in PTSD symptom improvements based on AUD diagnosis. Among AUD-diagnosed veterans, 21.3% endorsed binge drinking 4 or more (14.3% endorsed 9 or more) days, while 10.8% of veterans without AUD endorsed binge drinking 4 or more (5.2% endorsed 9 or more) days at follow-up. Among AUD-diagnosed veterans, while PTSD symptom improvements were not associated with binge drinking outcomes, drinking days at admission and military sexual trauma (MST) predicted a greater likelihood of binge drinking. Among veterans without AUD, drinking days at admission, PTSD symptom increases, being unmarried, ‘other’ race, and less education, were associated with a higher likelihood of binge drinking, while MST and combat exposure predicted a lower likelihood of binge drinking. In conclusion, drinking days at admission is a predictor of binge drinking following treatment; thus, alcohol use should be assessed at intake and addressed among those who endorse drinking to reduce the likelihood of alcohol resumption following residential treatment. Furthermore, among AUD-diagnosed veterans, despite PTSD symptom decreases during treatment, MST predicted a greater likelihood of 9 or more binge drinking days at follow-up.

Harassment is a common experience for medical and healthcare trainees. Experiencing harassment can have significant consequences for trainees in multiple domains, including mental, physical, social...

The present study examined the associations of positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy with psychotic-like experiences, affect, and social functioning in daily life using experience sampling methodology (ESM) in 2 samples (ns = 165 and 203) that employed different measures of schizotypy. Schizotypy is a useful framework for understanding schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology, and ESM offers a powerful approach for assessing schizotypy in real-world settings. Participants were signaled 8 times daily for 7 days to complete ESM questionnaires. As hypothesized, positive schizotypy was robustly associated with psychotic-like experiences in daily life, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with negative experiences, diminished positive affect, and social disinterest in both samples. As expected, disorganized schizotypy was associated with disorganization in daily life. Furthermore, it was associated with increased negative affect and diminished positive affect. Thus, positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy were associated with unique, hypothesized patterns of experiences in daily life, and the findings across the two samples and two schizotypy measures were strikingly consistent. Note that when disorganized schizotypy was not entered as a predictor in the 2 samples, disorganized experiences and negative affect in daily life were associated with positive schizotypy. However, when disorganized schizotypy was included as a predictor, these daily life experiences were associated with disorganized, not positive, schizotypy. This is similar to findings from interview and questionnaire studies that have simultaneously assessed positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy. The findings support the construct validity of the multidimensional model of schizotypy and the importance of including disorganization in the conceptualization and assessment of schizotypy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Individuals at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders tend to make atypical attributions of significance to unimportant stimuli. This experience of heightened significance, known as aberrant salience, is thought to contribute to psychotic symptoms. The Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) was designed to capture subclinical and clinical manifestations of the construct, and scores on the scale are associated with schizophrenia-like symptoms and behaviors in laboratory studies. Experience sampling methodology (ESM) studies have assessed momentary experiences of aberrant salience in daily life, but to our knowledge no study has examined real-world outcomes using the ASI as a trait measure of aberrant salience. The current study assessed the expression of aberrant salience in undergraduates oversampled for positive and negative schizotypy using ESM. Overall, findings of the expression of aberrant salience in daily life were similar to previous findings with positive schizotypy. Aberrant salience was associated with psychotic-like and disorganized symptoms, suspiciousness, and social impairment in daily life. It was unassociated with negative symptoms, stress, or affect in the moment. Aberrant salience did not moderate daily life associations of stress with schizotypic symptoms. The ASI subscales showed differential patterns of associations in daily life. These findings support the construct validity of the ASI and suggest that aberrant salience traits are relevant for real-world outcomes in schizotypy-spectrum psychopathology.

Introduction Previous research has demonstrated an association between military sexual trauma and risk for suicide; however, risk for self-directed violence such as suicide attempt or nonsuicidal self-injury following military sexual trauma is understudied. This study examines the relationship between military sexual trauma and serious self-directed violence resulting in hospitalization, as well as whether this relationship differs by sex. Methods Participants were 750,176 Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn veterans who were enrolled in Veterans Health Administration care during the period of October 1, 2001–September 30, 2014 and who were screened for military sexual trauma. Data were analyzed in 2019. Bivariate analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed. Results Women veterans were more likely to screen positive for military sexual trauma (21.33% vs 1.63%), and women and men were equally likely to experience serious self-directed violence (1.19% women vs 1.18% men). Controlling for demographic variables and psychiatric morbidity, military sexual trauma predicted serious self-directed violence for both men and women. Further, men with military sexual trauma were 15% less likely to experience self-directed violence compared with women with military sexual trauma (hazard ratio=0.85, 95% CI=0.74, 0.98). Conclusions Military sexual trauma is associated with risk for serious self-directed violence for both men and women veterans, and the relationship may be pronounced among women. Results underscore the importance of incorporating military sexual trauma into treatment and preventative efforts for self-directed violence.

Schizotypy refers to traits or symptoms similar to schizophrenia, but in a diminished form, and schizotypy is thought to reflect a liability for the future development of schizophrenia. The Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS) is a new measure of schizotypy that improves on existing measures. The MSS contains full and brief subscales for positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy. Although MSS scores have been validated in a variety of populations, the scales have not been thoroughly examined for differential item functioning in East Asian, Southeast Asian, Hispanic, Multiracial, and White participants. The current study included 567 East Asian, 351 Southeast Asian, 360 Hispanic, 230 Multiracial, and 345 White undergraduate participants from the United States. Overall, few of the items in the full or brief versions of the scales displayed differential item functioning across groups. The full and brief versions of the scales also displayed similar and not-significantly different validity coefficients with the Detachment and Psychoticism scales of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5. These findings suggest that the MSS measures the same constructs across ethnic groups, and the scale scores represent the same latent level of schizotypy among groups. Future research may use the MSS in these diverse groups without concern that the psychometric properties differ significantly among groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Military sexual trauma (MST) is prevalent, and some initial evidence suggests it is associated with impaired employment outcomes. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) offers supported employment (SE) and Community-Based Employment Services (CBES), which consist of individualized employment support integrated with mental health treatment. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and effect of MST on competitive employment outcomes following participation in SE or CBES. Participants were a national set of Veterans who participated in VHA SE or CBES services between 2015 and 2019 and whose medical record contained a completed MST screen (

Racial disparities across various domains of health care are a long-standing public health issue that affect a variety of clinical services and health outcomes. Mental health research has shown that prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are high for Black veterans compared with White veterans, and some studies suggest poorer clinical outcomes for Black veterans with PTSD. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of racial disparities longitudinally in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) residential rehabilitation treatment programs (RRTPs).Participants included 2,870 veterans treated nationally in VA PTSD RRTPs in fiscal year 2017. Veterans provided demographic data upon admission to the program. Symptoms of PTSD and depression were collected at admission, discharge, and 4-month follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine symptom change throughout and after treatment.Black veterans experienced attenuated PTSD symptom reduction during treatment as well as greater depression symptom recurrence 4 months after discharge, relative to White veterans.This study adds to the body of literature that has documented poorer treatment outcomes for Black compared with White veterans with PTSD. Although both Black and White veterans had an overall reduction in symptoms, future research should focus on understanding the causes, mechanisms, and potential solutions to reduce racial disparities in mental health treatment.

Deployment sexual trauma (DST; i.e., sexual harassment or assault during deployment in the military) is associated with physical and mental health consequences, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal ideation (SI). Less attention has been placed on factors that may offer protection from deleterious mental health outcomes following DST. Global meaning in life (i.e., purpose, beliefs, goals, and subjective feelings) has been shown to be a protective factor against PTSD, depression, and SI following combat trauma; however, the extent to which meaning in life may affect outcomes following DST has not been investigated. Cross-sectional associations and Hayes mediation models were examined using baseline interview data from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans sample (SERV; 850 recently returned veterans, 352 women). DST was associated with post-deployment posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depressive symptoms, and SI severity, and with decreased sense of meaning in life. Further, meaning in life was a significant mediator between DST and each of the three outcomes, even after controlling for demographic variables and combat experiences. The mediation models did not differ by gender. Findings suggest meaning in life may be an important clinical factor, both for the identification of risk and as a point of intervention.

The present study examined the dimensional structure underlying the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS) and its brief version (MSS-B). We used Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) to evaluate their dimensional structure in two large, independent samples (n = 6265 and n = 1000). We then used Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to compare the fit of the theoretical dimensions with the EGA dimensions. For the MSS, EGA identified four dimensions: positive schizotypy, two dimensions of negative schizotypy (affective and social anhedonia), and disorganized schizotypy. For the MSS-B, EGA identified three dimensions, which corresponded to the theorized positive, negative, and disorganized dimensions. Based on the MSS's EGA dimensions, we also estimated a four-factor model for the MSS-B. The CFA comparison found that the four-factor model fit significantly better than the theoretical three-factor model for both the MSS and MSS-B, providing support for the theoretical model and offering a more nuanced interpretation of the negative schizotypy factor. In addition, EGA also revealed that the positive and negative schizotypy dimensions of the MSS and MSS-B might be mediated by the disorganized dimension. Our findings offer new implications for future research on the MSS and MSS-B dimensions that may provide differential associations with interview and questionnaire measures.

The objective of the present research was to expand upon previous findings indicating that military sexual trauma interacts with combat exposure to predict PTSD among female Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans. Three hundred and thirty female veterans completed self-report measures of combat experiences, military sexual assault (MSA) experiences, and PTSD symptoms as well as structured diagnostic interviews for PTSD. A significant strength of the present research was the use of PTSD diagnosis as an outcome measure. Consistent with prior research, both combat exposure and MSA were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms (linear regression) and PTSD diagnoses (logistic regression). Specifically, participants who experienced deployment-related MSA had approximately six times the odds of developing PTSD compared to those who had not experienced deployment-related MSA, over and above the effects of combat exposure. Contrary to expectations, the hypothesized interaction between MSA and combat exposure was not significant in any of the models. The low base rate of MSA may have limited power to find a significant interaction; however, these findings are also consistent with other recent studies that have failed to find support for the hypothesized interaction. Thus, whereas the majority of available evidence indicates that MSA increases risk for PTSD among veterans over and above the effects of combat, there is presently only limited support for the hypothesized MSA x combat interaction. These findings highlight the continued need for prevention and treatment of MSA in order to improve veterans' long-term mental health and well-being.

This manual provides information on the development and use of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS; Kwapil, Gross, Silvia, Raulin, & Barrantes-Vidal, 2018) and the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale-Brief Edition (MSS-B, Gross, Kwapil, Raulin, Silvia, & Barrantes-Vidal, 2018). Note that complete information about the scales and their development can be found in the source articles for the scales.

Schizotypy offers a useful construct for investigating the etiology, development, and expression of schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology, as well as the comorbid expression of mood and anxiety disorders across the schizophrenia spectrum. The present study examined the associations of positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy with affective symptoms and experiences in a sample of MTurk workers and college students (n = 575). Participants completed the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS) and measures of depression, anxiety, social phobia, hypomanic traits, and state affect. As expected, positive schizotypy was significantly associated with hypomanic traits, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with reduced positive affect and reduced hypomanic traits. Although prior research has emphasized the association of positive schizotypy with depression and anxiety, the current results demonstrate that disorganized schizotypy is more strongly associated with elevated negative affect (over-and-above positive schizotypy). As such, these findings highlight the importance of examining disorganization of affect, in addition to the cognitive-behavioral deficits traditionally associated with disorganized schizotypy. Finally, the MSS and MSS-Brief demonstrated closely comparable findings. The present results provide further support for the construct validity of the MSS and the three-factor model of schizotypy.

This study reports on an initial examination of the construct validity of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale-Brief (MSS-B) and the first investigation of its psychometric properties outside of its derivation samples. The MSS-B contains 38 items that assess positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy and has comparable content coverage and psychometric properties as the original 77-item Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale. Two large samples (n = 1430 and 1289) completed the MSS-B, as well as measures of schizotypal personality traits and the Five-Factor Model of Personality. MSS-B scores were computed from the full-length scale in sample 1, whereas participants in sample 2 were administered the MSS-B. The psychometric properties and intercorrelations of the MSS-B subscales were consistent with findings from the original derivation samples, with no shrinkage in reliability. In terms of relations with schizotypal traits, the MSS-B positive schizotypy dimension had its strongest association with cognitive-perceptual schizotypal traits, MSS-B negative schizotypy had its strongest association with interpersonal schizotypal traits, and MSS-B disorganized schizotypy had its strongest association with disorganized schizotypal traits. The schizotypy dimensions were characterized by hypothesized patterns of distinct associations with the Five-Factor Model. The present findings are consistent with results from the full-scale MSS.

This article reports on the development and psychometric properties of a brief version of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS-B). The MSS-B contains 38 items that assess positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy. The scale was derived from the full-length Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale, and the positive, negative, and disorganized subscales were designed to provide the same content coverage as the original subscales. Scale development involved a derivation sample (n = 6265) and a separate cross-validation sample (n = 1000), both drawn from four universities and Amazon Mechanical Turk. The MSS-B was derived using classical test theory, item response theory, and differential item functioning. The three subscales exhibited high internal-consistency reliability, good item- and model-fit, good test information functions, and expected patterns of intercorrelations and associations with neuroticism, sex, and race/ethnicity. This pattern of findings was almost identical between the derivation and cross-validation samples. Furthermore, the pattern of findings was closely comparable for MSS-B subscales and the full-length MSS subscales. The MSS-B appears to offer a promising brief measure for assessing schizotypy.

Introduction: Military sexual trauma (MST), which includes sexual harassment or assault while in the military, is prevalent among women Veterans and associated with depression and suicide. Little i...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has implemented initiatives to promote veterans' recovery from the health sequelae of military sexual trauma (MST), including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MST can impact emotion regulation, interpersonal functioning, and perceptions of trust and safety, as well as increase risk for psychiatric comorbidity, which may impede PTSD treatment.. VA PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (RRTPs) may facilitate the therapeutic process by offering increased structure, support, and adjunctive services. Limited research has examined the effect of MST on PTSD RRTP outcomes. Utilizing data from 7918 men and women veterans participating in a VA PTSD RRTP, the impact of the experience of MST on rates of program completion and changes in PTSD symptoms during and after treatment were examined. Rates of program completion were similar between those who did and did not report experiencing MST. Multilevel modeling was utilized to examine the impact of MST on PTSD symptoms after accounting for gender, age, race/ethnicity, and program completion. MST survivors endorsed more severe PTSD symptoms at admission; however, PTSD symptom severity scores were similar to those who did not report experiencing MST by discharge. Additionally, MST survivors had larger initial reductions in PTSD symptoms, followed by a greater recurrence of PTSD symptoms over time, compared to those who did not report experiencing MST. MST survivors appear able to participate in and benefit from PTSD RRTPs. Nonetheless, the increased recurrence of PTSD symptoms following discharge from residential treatment indicates the need for strategies to maintain post-treatment gains among MST survivors.

We conducted 2 studies examining the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS) and the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale-Brief (MSS-B). These studies offered the first examination of the scales' test-retest reliability (dependability), impact of testing interval on test-retest reliability, and concordance of the 2 versions. The MSS and MSS-B contain positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy subscales that reflect current models of schizotypy. In Study 1, MTurk participants (

The present study forms part of an ongoing longitudinal project examining risks and resilience for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in a non-clinical ascertained sample of college students. The main objective of the study was examine the validity of psychometrically assessed positive and negative schizotypy at a three-year follow-up assessment (Time 3; T3) of the sample initially reported in the cross-sectional study of Barrantes-Vidal et al. (2013). Participants were recruited from the undergraduate population enrolled in Psychology courses at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). A group of 589 unselected students completed a mass screening assessment of self-reported measures at Time 1 (T1). Participants were administered the Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales (WSS) intermixed with an infrequency scale, the positive symptoms subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), and the suspiciousness subscale of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Usable screening data were obtained from 547 students (mean age = 20.6; SD = 4.1; 86% female, 42 were excluded from the final study due to invalid protocols). Two interview and self-report measures assessments were conducted after T1. The Time 2 (T2) and Time 3 (T3) interviews were made by psychologists and advanced graduate students in clinical psychology. All interviewers were extensively trained and were unaware of participants' scores on the T1 and T2 measures. Of the 547 students who completed T1 assessment, a subset of 339 was invited to participate at T2 assessment with the aim of assessing 200 individuals. In order to ensure adequate inclusion of participants reporting high levels of schizotypy, the students group included 189 who had elevated scores (standard scores based upon sample norms of at least 1.0) on the positive or negative schizotypy factors derived from the WSS, or the SPQ-suspiciousness, or the CAPE, and 150 randomly selected participants who had standard scores below 1.0 on each of these measures.A total of 214 students (mean age = 21.4 years; SD = 2.4; 78% female) completed T2 assessment which took place an average of 1.7 years (SD= 0.2 years, range 1.4 to 2.2 years) after T1. This sample included 123 participants with at least one schizotypy screening score above 1.0 and 91 with standard scores below 1.0. The T3 assessment took place an average of 1.4 years (SD= 0.3 years, range 0.9 to 2.1 years) after T2, and of 3.1 years (SD= 0.3 years, range 2.6 to 3.6 years) after T1. At T3, due to financial limitation we targeted a subset of 134 students (93 with high schizotypy and 41 with standard scores below 1.0). Of these, 103 (77%) participants (mean age= 23.06; SD=2.6; 37.9% male) were interviewed at T3. The sample included 75 of 93 (82%) participants with elevated schizotypy scores and 28 of 43 (65%) with standard scores below 1.0. There were no significant differences on positive or negative schizotypy scores between the participants assessed at T3 and the non-followed participants. This study was conducted according to guidelines of the University Ethics Committee of the UAB and participants provided informed consent at each assessment.

The present study provided the first examination of the construct validity of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS) and the first assessment of its psychometric properties outside of its derivation samples. The MSS contains 77 items that assess positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy. A large multisite sample of 1,430 participants completed the MSS and measures of schizotypal personality traits and the five-factor model of personality. The MSS subscales had good-to-excellent internal consistency reliability that showed no shrinkage relative to the MSS derivation samples. The psychometric properties and intercorrelations of the MSS subscales were closely consistent with the derivation findings. The MSS Positive Schizotypy subscale had a strong association with cognitive-perceptual schizotypal traits (large effect), positive associations with personality traits of neuroticism and openness to experience, and negative associations with agreeableness. The MSS Negative Schizotypy subscale had a strong association with interpersonal schizotypal traits (medium effect) and negative associations with personality traits of extraversion, openness, and agreeableness. The MSS Disorganized Schizotypy subscale had a strong association with disorganized schizotypal traits (medium effect), a positive association with neuroticism, and a negative association with conscientiousness. The findings were consistent with the a priori predictions and support the construct validity of the MSS. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales (WSS) are widely used for assessing schizotypy. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicates that a two-factor structure, positive and negative schizotypy, underlies these scales. Recently developed 15-item short forms of the WSS demonstrated good reliability and validity. This study examined the factor structure underlying the short-form WSS. Consistent with the original scales, CFA on three large samples (n = 6137, 2171, and 2292, respectively) indicated that a two-factor model with positive and negative dimensions provided better fit than a generic schizotypy model for the short-form WSS. The short-form dimensions correlated highly with the original scale dimensions and displayed good stability across 10 weeks. Preliminary construct validity was demonstrated through associations with interview and questionnaire measures of psychopathology, functioning, and personality comparable to those found with the original WSS. This is the first study examining the dimensional structure of the short WSS and the validity of these dimensions. The findings support the multidimensional nature of schizotypy and the appropriateness of dimensions derived from the short-form WSS.

The present study extends previous cross-sectional findings by examining the predictive validity of positive and negative schizotypy in a young adult sample at a three-year follow-up. Schizotypy and schizophrenia share a comparable multidimensional structure with positive and negative dimensions being the most strongly supported factors. Previous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies employing the psychometric high-risk strategy indicated that schizotypy is a useful method for identifying risk and resilience factors for the development of schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology. In the present study, 103 participants (77% of 134 candidate participants) were reassessed at a three-year follow-up. As hypothesized, positive schizotypy predicted psychotic-like symptoms, depression, low self-esteem, and general psychopathology. Negative schizotypy predicted emotional disturbances, schizoid personality traits, and mental health treatment during the past year. As expected, both schizotypy dimensions predicted schizotypal, paranoid, and avoidant personality traits, and impaired functioning. These longitudinal findings provide additional evidence supporting the multidimensional model of schizotypy as a valid framework for studying etiological mechanisms and trajectories of psychosis.

Undergraduates ( N = 274) participated in a weeklong daily-life experience-sampling study of mind wandering after being assessed in the lab for executive-control abilities (working memory capacity; attention-restraint ability; attention-constraint ability; and propensity for task-unrelated thoughts, or TUTs) and personality traits. Eight times a day, electronic devices prompted subjects to report on their current thoughts and context. Working memory capacity and attention abilities predicted subjects’ TUT rates in the lab, but predicted the frequency of daily-life mind wandering only as a function of subjects’ momentary attempts to concentrate. This pattern replicates prior daily-life findings but conflicts with laboratory findings. Results for personality factors also revealed different associations in the lab and daily life: Only neuroticism predicted TUT rate in the lab, but only openness predicted mind-wandering rate in daily life (both predicted the content of daily-life mind wandering). Cognitive and personality factors also predicted dimensions of everyday thought other than mind wandering, such as subjective judgments of controllability of thought. Mind wandering in people’s daily environments and TUTs during controlled and artificial laboratory tasks have different correlates (and perhaps causes). Thus, mind-wandering theories based solely on lab phenomena may be incomplete.

The present research investigated wall/object punching as a form of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among 1,143 veterans seeking treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Wall/object punching was remarkably common in this sample (43%), and its inclusion in the definition of NSSI increased estimated prevalence of recent NSSI by 14%. As expected, wall/object punching was strongly associated with other traditional forms of NSSI, post-NSSI relief, and suicidal ideation. Male veterans and veterans with PTSD were significantly more likely to engage in wall/object punching than female veterans and veterans without PTSD. More research on this important but under-recognized form of NSSI is needed.

Schizotypy is a multidimensional construct that captures the expression of schizophrenic symptoms and impairment from subclinical levels to full-blown psychosis. The present study examined the comparability of the factor structure of 2 leading psychometric measures of schizotypy: the Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales (WSS) and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Both the SPQ and WSS purportedly capture the multidimensional structure of schizotypy; however, whether they are measuring comparable factors has not been empirically demonstrated. This study provided support for a 2-factor model with positive and negative factors underlying the WSS; however, contrary to previous findings, the best fit for the SPQ was for a 4-factor model using confirmatory factor analysis, and a 2-factor model using exploratory factor analysis. The WSS factors were relatively distinct, whereas those underlying the SPQ showed high overlap. The WSS positive and SPQ cognitive-perceptual factors appeared to tap comparable constructs. However, the WSS negative and SPQ interpersonal factors appeared to tap somewhat different constructs based on their correlation and their patterns of associations with other schizotypy dimensions and the Five-Factor Model-suggesting that the SPQ interpersonal factor may not adequately tap negative or deficit schizotypy. Although the SPQ offers the advantage over the WSS of having a disorganization factor, it is not clear that this SPQ factor is actually distinct from positive schizotypy. Existing measures should be used with caution and new measures based on a priori theories are necessary to further understand the factor structure of schizotypy.

The present study examined the predictive validity of psychometrically assessed positive and negative schizotypy in the Chapmans' 10-year longitudinal data set. Schizotypy provides a useful construct for understanding the etiology and development of schizophrenia and related disorders. Schizotypy and schizophrenia share a common multidimensional structure that includes positive and negative symptom dimensions. Recent cross-sectional studies have supported the validity of psychometric positive and negative schizotypy; however, the present study is the first to examine the predictive validity of these dimensions. The Chapmans' longitudinal data provided an ideal opportunity because of the large sample size, high reassessment rate, and extended interval between assessments. A total of 534 psychometric high-risk and control participants were initially assessed, and 95% of this sample was reinterviewed 10 years later. As hypothesized, positive and negative schizotypy uniquely predicted the development of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. At the reassessment, both positive and negative schizotypy predicted psychotic-like, schizotypal, and paranoid symptoms, as well as poorer adjustment. The positive dimension was associated with mood and substance use disorders and mental health treatment. Negative schizotypy was associated with schizoid symptoms and social impairment at the follow-up. The results extend the growing validity findings for psychometrically assessed positive and negative schizotypy by demonstrating that they are associated with the development of differential patterns of symptoms and impairment.

Reports an error in "Individual differences in the executive control of attention, memory, and thought, and their associations with schizotypy" by Michael J. Kane, Matt E. Meier, Bridget A. Smeekens, Georgina M. Gross, Charlotte A. Chun, Paul J. Silvia and Thomas R. Kwapil (

A large correlational study took a latent-variable approach to the generality of executive control by testing the individual-differences structure of executive-attention capabilities and assessing their prediction of schizotypy, a multidimensional construct (with negative, positive, disorganized, and paranoid factors) conveying risk for schizophrenia. Although schizophrenia is convincingly linked to executive deficits, the schizotypy literature is equivocal. Subjects completed tasks of working memory capacity (WMC), attention restraint (inhibiting prepotent responses), and attention constraint (focusing visual attention amid distractors), the latter 2 in an effort to fractionate the "inhibition" construct. We also assessed mind-wandering propensity (via in-task thought probes) and coefficient of variation in response times (RT CoV) from several tasks as more novel indices of executive attention. WMC, attention restraint, attention constraint, mind wandering, and RT CoV were correlated but separable constructs, indicating some distinctions among "attention control" abilities; WMC correlated more strongly with attentional restraint than constraint, and mind wandering correlated more strongly with attentional restraint, attentional constraint, and RT CoV than with WMC. Across structural models, no executive construct predicted negative schizotypy and only mind wandering and RT CoV consistently (but modestly) predicted positive, disorganized, and paranoid schizotypy; stalwart executive constructs in the schizophrenia literature-WMC and attention restraint-showed little to no predictive power, beyond restraint's prediction of paranoia. Either executive deficits are consequences rather than risk factors for schizophrenia, or executive failures barely precede or precipitate diagnosable schizophrenia symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record

Current conceptualizations of schizophrenia indicate that the underlying vulnerability for the disorder is expressed across a broad continuum of impairment referred to as schizotypy. Trait-like anhedonia has long been recognized as a central component of schizophrenia and schizotypy. Our understanding of the etiology, experience, and expression of anhedonia, however, has evolved in large part due to advances in social and emotion psychology regarding the nature of pleasure, advances in the neurosciences regarding the brain mechanisms underlying hedonic capacity and experience, and the integration of measures from clinical, social, and biological psychology. Current studies have differentiated deficits in anticipatory pleasure from deficits in consummatory pleasure. The study of anhedonia has also been enhanced by the use of experience sampling research methods that expand investigations from the laboratory and the clinic to real world environments. Anhedonia appears to be a core component of the negative or deficit symptom dimension of schizotypy and schizophrenia, whereas the positive or psychotic-like dimension appears to be characterized by affective dysregulation. Furthermore, schizotypic anhedonia is differentiated from conditions such as depression, which involve episodic anhedonia combined with elevated negative affect. The present chapter presents an overview of theoretical conceptualizations of anhedonia in schizotypy, reviews cross-sectional, longitudinal, and daily life research findings, and considers issues and directions for future study of the construct.

The present study examined the validity of psychometrically assessed positive and negative schizotypy in a study of 214 Spanish young adults using interview and questionnaire measures of impairment and psychopathology. Schizotypy provides a useful construct for understanding the etiology and development of schizophrenia and related disorders. Recent interview, laboratory, and experience sampling studies have supported the validity of psychometrically assessed positive and negative symptom dimensions. The present study expands on previous findings by examining the validity of these dimensions in a Spanish sample and employing a widely used interview measure of the schizophrenia prodrome. As hypothesized, the positive schizotypy dimension predicted CAARMS ultra high-risk or psychosis threshold status, and both dimensions uniquely predicted the presence of schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorders. Furthermore, positive schizotypy was associated with psychotic-like, paranoid, schizotypal, and mood symptoms, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with interview ratings of negative and schizoid symptoms. The schizotypy dimensions were also distinguished by their associations with self and other schemas. Positive schizotypy was associated with increased negative self and other schemas, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with decreased positive self and other schemas. The findings provide further construct validation of positive and negative schizotypy and support these dimensions as universal constructs.

The Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales (WSS) have been widely used in the study of clinical and non-clinical samples. However, researchers often find the length of the scales prohibitive. The present study examined the reliability and validity of recently developed 15-item short forms of the Perceptual Aberration, Magical Ideation, Physical Anhedonia, and Revised Social Anhedonia Scales in two large samples of non-clinically ascertained young adults. The scales demonstrated good reliability and correlated highly with the original scales. The validity of the scales was assessed by comparing the association of the original and shortened WSS with interview measures of psychotic-like and schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms and impaired functioning, as well as with questionnaire measures of personality and social impairment. The associations of the shortened WSS with the interview and questionnaire measures were comparable in terms of statistical significance and effect size with the associations of the original scales. The present findings provide the first demonstration of the validity of the shortened WSS and support their use in the study of schizotypy.

The present study examined the validity of psychometrically assessed positive and negative schizotypy in 214 young adults. Schizotypy provides a useful construct for understanding the etiology and development of schizophrenia and related disorders. The present study expands on previous findings by examining the validity of the schizotypy dimensions in a Spanish sample and employing a widely-used interview measure of the schizophrenia prodrome. As hypothesized, positive schizotypy predicted CAARMS ultra high-risk or psychosis threshold status, and both dimensions predicted the presence of schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorders. Furthermore, positive schizotypy was associated with psychotic-like, paranoid, schizotypal, and mood symptoms, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with interview ratings of negative and schizoid symptoms. Positive schizotypy was associated with increased negative self and other schemas, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with decreased positive self and other schemas. The findings provide further construct validation of positive and negative schizotypy and support these dimensions as universal constructs.