title: Neurocognitive deficits and history of childhood abuse in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: associations with Cluster B personality traits.
abstract: Cluster B personality traits have been detected in persons with schizophrenia, at a rate exceeding that of the general population. Unclear, however, is how to account for such high rates of Cluster B traits. Accordingly, this study explored the hypothesis that the presence of these traits may be linked to impairments in neurocognition, and childhood abuse history. To test this, we simultaneously obtained an assessment of Cluster B traits using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III, along with measures of attention, verbal memory, affect recognition, executive function and childhood abuse history among 37 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in a post acute phases of illness. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed that higher levels of histrionic and narcissistic traits were related to poorer neurocognition while higher levels of narcissistic traits were negatively correlated with childhood physical abuse. Higher levels of borderline traits were uniquely related to the report of childhood sexual abuse while higher levels of antisocial traits were related to higher levels of childhood physical abuse. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Roudebush VA Medical Center and Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. plysaker@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lysaker
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wickett
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: Louanne W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index