To evaluate the clinical and ecological validity of
affect recognition (AR) measures in a sample of community-dwelling
schizophrenic outpatients (N = 40), we analyzed
the relation of facial and vocal AR to intellectual, symptomatic,
and quality-of-life criteria. Facial and vocal AR showed
virtually identical patterns of association with these
criteria, suggesting that both modalities of AR draw on
the same underlying heteromodal capacity. Specifically,
AR was correlated with a subset of intellectual abilities
(verbal–semantic, executive–attentional), but
was unrelated to age, education, or neuroleptic dose. In
terms of clinical and ecological criteria, AR errors correlated
with more severe psychotic symptoms (positive and disorganized)
and with lower quality of life (relationships, community
participation, and richness of intrapsychic experience).
Even after controlling for subjects' intellectual
abilities and illness severity, inaccurate AR was associated
with bizarre behaviors (involving sociosexual interactions,
clothing, appearance) and with impoverished interpersonal
relations. Thus, while difficulty identifying basic affective
cues is related to general cognitive and illness-severity
factors, it appears to have specific functional implications
that do not depend on generalized impairment. Assessment
of AR may identify a subgroup of schizophrenic patients
who have a central defect in the heteromodal monitoring
of emotional-social displays, associated with dysregulation
of social behaviors and disruption of interpersonal relations.
(JINS, 2000, 6, 649–658.)
Validation of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 among Chronic Schizophrenia Patients in Malaysia
