DOI: 10.6129/CJP.20160308
Chinese Journal of Psychology 2016, Vol.58, No.1, 1-18

An Exploratory Study of Clinical Symptom Factors and Profiles for Chronic Inpatient Schizophrenics

Shih-Kuang Chiang（Department of Counseling & Clinical Psychology, National Dong Hwa University）；Mau-Sun Hua（Department of Psychology, Asia University）；Jen-Yeu Chen（Yu Jie Psychiatric Clinic）；Lieh-Yung Ping（Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital Yuli Branch）；Jian-Kang Chao（Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital Pingtung Branch；Department of Health Administration, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology）

Abstract

Aims: There were two aims in this study. The first was to clarify clinical symptom factors in chronic inpatient
schizophrenics. The second was to explore whether there were different symptom profiles based on patients’
clinical symptom factor structure. Method: One hundred and ninety-six subjects, who met the diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia in DSM-IV, were included in this study. There were 115 male and 81 female participants and their mean age and education level (here referred to in terms of years of education experience) were 51.57 years and 10.04 years respectively. All subjects had a routine antipsychotics therapy session and participated in a Chinese version of a PANSS interview facilitated by one of six psychiatrists. The results from the PANSS interviews were analyzed using GAP and EFA. Results: The results from the GAP analysis showed that there were five symptom factors; these factors were impaired cognition, positive symptoms, emotional retardation, depression/anxiety, and social withdrawal. According to these factors, chronic inpatient schizophrenics could be categorized into 3 profiles groups: 1. a significant mixed positive and negative symptom group, 2. a significant widespread symptom group, and 3. a significant social withdrawal group. This study also found that there were two mutually independent components of negative symptom factors in the original PANSS. Conclusion: This study identified five factor-based structure profiles for clinical symptoms in chronic inpatient schizophrenics. In addition, based on findings there are no any correlation among patient’ age, educational level, impaired  cognition and emotional retardation, these two factors may be potential markers for early detection of 
schizophrenia. However, there were some limitations in this study.

Keywords: schizophrenia, positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), symptom profile, generalized association plots (GAP), psychotic symptoms