Insight and Social Functioning in Deficit and Non-Deficit Schizophrenia.

Objective: Deficit syndrome is a symptom complex that progresses with primary and persistent negative symptoms; therefore, it is difficult to diagnose. Low-level social functioning may be anticipated in patients with deficit schizophrenia. Moreover, lack of insight, which is another significant symptom of schizophrenia, is thought to occur more frequently in patients with deficit syndrome. The present study aimed to compare insight and social functioning in schizophrenia patients with and without deficit syndrome. Materials and Methods: The study included 71 outpatients that were followed-up at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, School of Medicine, Psychotic Disorders Polyclinic. All the patients were diagnosed as schizophrenia according to DSM-IV Axis I criteria via administration of the Structured Clinical Interview I (SCID-I). Participants were also evaluated using the Schedule for Deficit Syndrome (SDS), and were accordingly divided into 2 groups: deficit schizophrenia (n = 30) and non-deficit schizophrenia (n = 41). Additionally, the patients were assessed to determine if they had the paranoid subtype of schizophrenia. Both groups were administered the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Schedule for Assessing the Three Components of Insight (SAI) and Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP). Results: There were significantly more patients with the non-paranoid subtype in the deficit schizophrenia group than in the non-deficit schizophrenia group. Mean SAI and PSP scores were significantly lower, and mean SAPS and SANS scores were significantly higher in the deficit group than in the non-deficit group. Conclusion: The present findings indicate the importance of lack of insight and low-level social functioning in patients with deficit schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]