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Confirmation of a Two-Factor Solution to the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in a French Population of Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Authors :
Eric Brunet-Gouet
Nils Myszkowski
Mickael Ehrminger
Mathieu Urbach
Bruno Aouizerate
Lore Brunel
Delphine Capdevielle
Isabelle Chereau
Caroline Dubertret
Julien Dubreucq
Guillaume Fond
Christophe Lançon
Sylvain Leignier
Jasmina Mallet
David Misdrahi
Sylvie Pires
Priscille Schneider
Franck Schurhoff
Hanan Yazbek
Anna Zinetti-Bertschy
Nadine Bazin
Christine Passerieux
Franck Zenasni
Paul Roux
Source :
Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 10 (2019)
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2019.

Abstract

The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a tool for self-assessing the cognitive and emotional components of empathy. A study showed that a two-factor model fits the data of patients with schizophrenia, whereas other reports on healthy subjects have suggested a five-factor decomposition. We aimed to replicate the model of Horan et al. in a French population with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (i.e., schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders) participating in the EVACO Study (NCT02901015). In total, 133 patients were assessed with the QCAE, the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and the Self rating Quality of Life Scale (S-QoL). The two-factor model demonstrated an adequate fit with the data, comparable to that reported by Horan et al. Males scored higher on the Affective subscore than females. After correction for multiple tests, psychopathology (PANSS) and functioning (PSP) did not correlate significantly with the QCAE subscores. However, quality of life (S-QoL) correlated positively with the Emotional Contagion subscore. Thus, the variability of empathetic disposition in schizophrenia may be considered through the cognitive versus affective dichotomy and properly investigated with the QCAE. The results support further investigation of the relationship between QCAE scores and subjective outcome measurements, such as quality of life, and emphasize the importance of cross-cultural comparisons.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16640640 and 29156815
Volume :
10
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.5a72edb9e334284a291568152ab9961
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00751