title: Spatial analysis of schizotypal personality traits in Chinese male youths: evidence from a GIS-based analysis of Sichuan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schizotypal personality traits are associated with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, stating that schizotypal traits may represent a "prodrome" or other developmental precursor of schizophrenia. Genetic and environmental factors both play importanxt roles in the development of schizotypal traits. Different levels of schizotypal traits across regions may be indicative of similar differences in the incidence of schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study identifying where in a given region, schizotypal personality traits are more or less level of schizotypal personality scores in Chinese male youth of Sichuan province. Not only for research purposes but also for the evaluation of new draft and allocation policy initiatives intended to aid recruitment of mental health employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Psychological Selection Systems for Chinese Recruits, a mental health screening system used in China, collected in 2011 (67,558 copies) were used to map spatial distribution of schizotypal personality traits using geostatistics and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Correlation analyses were conducted to explore the effects of years of education and illiterate rate on schizotypal personality traits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maps for three schizotypal personality clinical scales (dissociative, Dit; neurotic, Net and sensitive, Set) showed similar geographical trends. The highest T scores were distributed mainly in the eastern and northern counties of Sichuan, with scores decreasing successively from east to west, with the eastern counties generally showing higher scores. Correlation analysis showed that t-scores of Set were negatively correlated with years of education, whereas t-scores of Net were negatively correlated with illiteracy rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schizotypal personality traits in male youth showed specific geographical trends in Sichuan province, providing some evidence that kriging based on GIS can be used to geographically localize genetic and environmental factors associated with schizotypal personality traits. This approach could be used to help allocate public health resources to specific areas and could also have personnel selection applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Jiaxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.|Foreign Language Teaching and Researching Office of Basic Education Department, Chongqing Communication Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Jiaxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Chang Le Western Street No.169, Xi'an, Shannxi, China.
authors.forename: Danmin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miao