Premorbid factors in relation to motor, memory, and executive functions deficits in adult schizophrenia.
This study examined two areas of premorbid adjustment (attentional functioning and social adaptation) and three areas of adult neuropsychological performance (executive functions, learning/memory, and motor functions) in a clinically stable outpatient sample of schizophrenics (n=61). The study examined three components of premorbid attentional functioning (concentration, hyperactivity, and requiring supervision for organizing activities or tasks) and three components of premorbid social adaptation (socialization skills, disciplinary problems, and antisocial behavior) in relation to the neuropsychological variables assessed in adulthood. Findings indicated that premorbid difficulties in all three attentional functioning areas and two of the three social functioning areas were related to adult neuropsychological performance. Childhood concentration deficits were not as significant an influence as distractibility on adult neuropsychological functioning, nor was excessive premorbid activity level as important as inhibiting impulsivity. Premorbid socialization deficits were related to motor dysfluency in adulthood. A history of disciplinary problems but not antisocial behavior in childhood had an adverse influence on adult neuropsychological deficits. This study demonstrated selective influences of premorbid attentional and social adjustment impairments on a broad range of cognitive abilities in adult schizophrenia.
Department of Psychology, Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, 11590, Brookville, NY, USA. msilver@liu.edu
Marshall L
ML
Silverstein
George
G
Mavrolefteros
Ayme
A
Turnbull
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012951:Socialization