Categorical and dimensional approaches to negative symptoms of schizophrenia: Focus on long-term stability and functional outcome

摘要: Abstract Negative symptoms of schizophrenia represent a heterogeneous psychopathological domain. Both categorical and dimensional approaches have been proposed to reduce negative heterogeneity. In the present 5-year follow-up study, long-term stability impact on outcome different aspects were investigated. Following approach, deficit (DS), in comparison with nondeficit (NDS), assessed. factor structure broadly defined ability identified factors predict functional DS NDS subjects included previous study invited participate. Fifty-one out 58 patients previously diagnosed as 44 54 study. The DS/NDS categorization was confirmed 82.4% 79.6% subjects. At follow-up, showed more severe greater social dysfunction than ones. Schedule for Deficit Syndrome (SDS) severity scores loaded two factors: “Poor Emotional Expression” “Avolition” stable after 5 years. Avolition associated measures Poor Expression functioning household activities. Psychosocial predicted by SDS reflecting symptoms, but not categorization. This might lend support recent shift research focus from approach focusing presence primary enduring investigation key domains symptoms.