title: Distress related to subclinical negative symptoms in a non-clinical sample: Role of dysfunctional attitudes.
abstract: Negative symptoms are a prominent feature of schizophrenia that are intimately linked to poor outcomes characterizing the illness. One mechanistic model suggests that these symptoms are produced and maintained, at least in part, through maladaptive attitudes. Beyond mechanisms, it remains phenomenologically unclear if these symptoms are particularly distressing. In the present study we examined whether subclinical negative symptoms evaluated in a non-clinical sample of young adults (N=370) were distressful or bothersome to participants and, further, whether these symptoms were associated with dysfunctional attitudes. We found that greater severity of subclinical negative symptoms such as amotivation and anhedonia were associated with higher ratings of distress specifically attributable to these symptoms. This relationship held even after controlling for severity of depressive symptoms. Moreover, greater negative symptom burden was associated with greater endorsement of defeatist performance beliefs. Negative symptoms expressed in the general population were found to be particularly distressing. Maladaptive cognitive schemas are implicated in the expression of these symptoms, as well as the amount of distress these symptoms instil. A greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying negative symptoms, including both neurobiological and cognitive, is needed in order to effectively develop treatment strategies for these disabling symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: gagan.fervaha@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fervaha
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Konstantine K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Zakzanis
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foussias
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Agid
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Remington
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059445:Anhedonia / Q000502:physiology; D001290:Attitude; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anticipatory pleasure; Apathy; Defeatist performance beliefs; Motivational deficits; Negative symptoms; Psychosis; Schizophrenia spectrum; Schizotypy