The emotional characteristics of schizotypy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional traits and schizotypal symptoms and to establish a hypothetical model for the causal relationship between them.


METHODS
Schizotypal symptoms were assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and a total of seven emotional traits considered to be potential risk factors for schizotypy were categorized as emotional disturbances, emotional attenuators or emotional amplifiers. A total of 502 undergraduate students completed the SPQ and other scales.


RESULTS
The result of the present study suggested that the high levels of emotional disturbance in individuals who are prone to schizotypy or psychosis are amplified by their intensity and fluctuation. However, if their emotion attenuating abilities function well, these disturbances can be controlled and the schizotypal symptoms and progression to psychosis can be contained. Discriminant analysis showed that 69.0% of the subjects with many schizotypal symptoms and 80.7% of the subjects with few schizotypal symptoms were correctly classified.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggests the possibility of using emotional traits to identify the risk factors for psychosis.
Yoon
Seon-Ah
SA
Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC & BK21 Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Kang
Do-Hyung
DH
Kwon
Jun Soo
JS