PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Addington

Publications and source records attributed to J Addington.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Gender and affect in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that males with schizophrenia have more negative symptoms and females with schizophrenia have more depressive symptoms. Previous studies examining gender differences in negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia have been inconclusive, being limited by retrospective design and lack of suitable assessment instruments. METHOD: A consecutive series of 113 consenting inpatients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia (45 females, 68 males) were assessed using reliable measures of depression and negative symptoms. Negative symptoms were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and depression by the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Ninety-two of the subjects were reassessed 3 months later. RESULTS: There were no differences in levels of negative or depressive symptoms between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the study, the results do not support the hypothesis of sex differences in negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia.

Adult↗

Specificity of the Calgary Depression Scale for schizophrenics.

This study sought to determine the specificity of the Calgary Depression Scale (CDS), a depression rating scale for schizophrenics. The specificity is the degree to which the scale assesses depression rather than negative or extrapyramidal symptoms. Subjects were 100 outpatients (OP) and 50 inpatients (IP) meeting DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia. Negative symptoms were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS); extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed with the Simpson Angus Scale (SA) and depression with the CDS. Results were that the CDS showed no correlation with SA, but weak (0.33) statistically significant correlations with the PANSS negative symptom score in inpatients but not outpatients. Confirmatory factor analysis using Lisrel 6.0 showed that the model hypothesizing specificity of depression, negative symptoms and extrapyramidal symptoms, was significant, with a goodness of fit index of 0.89 and a root mean square residual of 0.07. It is concluded that the CDS achieves a useful degree of separation between measures of depression, negative and extrapyramidal symptoms in subjects with schizophrenia, when combined with the other measures used in this study.

Ambulatory Care↗

Assessing depression in schizophrenia: the Calgary Depression Scale.

Since existing depression scales were designed for assessment of depression in non-psychotic populations, such scales have items which do not distinguish depressed from non-depressed psychotic subjects. The authors describe a new scale, the Calgary Depression Scale, which was designed for the assessment of depression in schizophrenia. The scale was derived from two existing scales by factor analysis and reliability analysis. It has been further tested in two new samples. In the first it has been shown to be reliable, congruent with a self-report scale and valid. In the second sample it has been shown that there is no overlap with negative or extrapyramidal symptoms.

Adult↗

Rating depression in schizophrenia. A comparison of a self-report and an observer report scale.

Prior research has indicated an inconsistent agreement between self-report and observer report of depression in schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of agreement between a self-report measure of depression and a structured interview. Both outpatients (N = 100) and inpatients (N = 50) with schizophrenia were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and a structured interview scale, the Calgary Depression Scale. Scores were convergent. However, a sizable proportion of inpatients had difficulty completing the self-report instrument. It is concluded that depressed affect can be assessed in schizophrenics by both self-report and structured interview, but the Beck Depression Inventory poses difficulties in use with inpatients.

Adult↗

Premorbid functioning, cognitive functioning, symptoms and outcome in schizophrenia.

In this study we examined the relationship between premorbid functioning, outcome, cognitive functioning and positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Cognitive functioning and symptoms were examined longitudinally in a sample of 39 subjects with schizophrenia (according to the DSM-III criteria). Subjects were assessed at admission to hospital and six months later during a period of relative remission. Premorbid functioning was significantly associated with negative symptoms but not with positive symptoms at both the acute phase and the remitted phase of the illness. Outcome was also associated with negative symptoms at admission and with both positive and negative symptoms at follow-up. Deficits on cognitive tests of verbal reasoning and concept formation were significantly associated with poor premorbid functioning and outcome.

Adolescent↗

Reliability and validity of a depression rating scale for schizophrenics.

The Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) is a nine item structured interview scale, in which each item has a four point measure, each point anchored by descriptors. The scale has been specifically developed to assess depression in schizophrenics. This article describes the testing of the reliability and validity of the CDS. The scale is assessed and compared to three established measures, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a depression measure derived from the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the CDS is unidimensional, measuring the same construct in both in- and outpatients. The scale has high internal consistency, significant strong correlations with scores on the Hamilton, Beck and BPRS depression measures, and the presence of a major depressive episode. All items of the CDS significantly discriminate between the presence and absence of a major depressive episode. It is concluded that the CDS is a parsimonious reliable scale which is suitable for assessing depression across both the acute and residual stages of schizophrenia.

Adult↗

Cognitive functioning and positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

The present study examined schizophrenics' performance on a variety of cognitive measures in order to explore the relationship between schizophrenic symptoms and cognitive performance. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and a battery of neuropsychological tests, developed at the Montreal Neurological Institute, were administered to 38 acutely ill, hospitalized schizophrenics. Patients were diagnosed using DSM III criteria. Negative symptoms were assessed with the SANS and positive symptoms with the SAPS. Both the cognitive tests and the symptom rating scales were re-administered to this sample at a 6 month follow-up period. Analyses revealed that, at both time periods cognitive deficits were more likely to be associated with high negative symptom ratings than with positive symptoms. Only certain tests showed significant improvement at the follow-up period. Furthermore, improved cognitive functioning was related to an improvement in positive, but not negative, symptoms.

Adolescent↗

Depression dexamethasone nonsuppression and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

This study compared three measures of depression in schizophrenia and their correlation with the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST). The degree of overlap of these three measures with negative symptoms was also examined. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the depressive syndrome score of the Present State Examination (PSE), and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) were administered to 50 acutely ill, hospitalized schizophrenics. Patients were diagnosed using DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia. DSM-III criteria were also used to assess the presence of a major depressive episode. Results were that DST nonsuppression was significantly associated with the presence of a major depressive episode, but not with depressive rating scale scores or with negative symptoms. It is concluded that the DST may be of value in differentiating a depressive syndrome from a negative symptom syndrome in schizophrenia.

Adult↗

A depression rating scale for schizophrenics.

Scales for assessing depression are well developed for non-psychotic populations but have been criticized for being inappropriate for psychotic populations. As a result we have developed a new rating scale for the measurement of depression in schizophrenia based on items selected from the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Present State Examination. The selection was based on a three stage procedure first factor analysis then measures of internal consistency and finally face validity. Ratings of depression were made on 50 acutely ill schizophrenics meeting DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia assessed at two points in time. Our results indicate that several items from both scales form a superior instrument for measuring depression in schizophrenia. The eleven items generated a Cronbach's alpha of 0.84 at time one and 0.89 at time 2.

Adult↗

Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Their course and relationship over time.

Recent approaches to subtyping schizophrenia have made use of the concepts of positive and negative symptoms. It is sometimes assumed that positive and negative symptoms are distributed discontinuously or inversely. Many of the studies that have examined this concept are cross-sectional. This research examines the relationships among positive and negative symptoms in a sample of 41 DSM III diagnosed schizophrenics. Using the SANS and the SAPS, symptoms are assessed, first, in the acute phase of the illness and then, 6 months later, in a period of relative remission. Results showed that positive and negative symptoms were not inversely related at either phase of the illness. Secondly, in comparison to positive symptoms, negative symptoms were highly intercorrelated at both times. Thirdly, the presence of negative symptoms in the acute phase was highly predictive of the presence of negative symptoms at follow-up. Implications for the longitudinal course of symptoms in schizophrenia are discussed.

Adolescent↗