A Generalizability Study of the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale

Classical test theory (CTT) has been widely used to estimate the reliability of measurements. Generalizability theory (G theory), an extension of CTT, is a powerful statistical procedure, particularly useful for performance testing, because it enables estimating the percentages of persons variance and multiple sources of error variance. This study focuses on a generalizability study (G study) conducted to investigate such variance components for a paper-pencil multiple-choice vocabulary test used as a diagnostic pretest. Further, a decision study (D study) was conducted to compute the generalizability coefficient (G coefficient) for absolute decisions. The results of the G and D studies indicated that 46% of the total variance was due to the items effect; further, the G coefficient for absolute decisions was low. 古典的テスト理論は尺度の信頼性を測定するため広く用いられている。古典的テスト理論の応用である一般化可能性理論（G理論）は特にパフォーマンステストにおいて有効な分析手法であり、受験者と誤差の要因となる分散成分の割合を測定することができる。本研究では診断テストとして用いられた多岐選択式語彙テストの分散成分を測定するため一般化可能性研究（G研究）を行った。さらに、決定研究（D研究）では絶対評価に用いる一般化可能性係数を算出した。G研究とD研究の結果、項目の分散成分が全体の分散の46%を占め、また信頼度指数は高くなかった。

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The Associations between COMT and MAO-B Genetic Variants with Negative Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia

Current Issues in Molecular Biology ◽

10.3390/cimb43020045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 618-636

Author(s):

Zoran Madzarac ◽

Lucija Tudor ◽

Marina Sagud ◽

Gordana Nedic Erjavec ◽

Alma Mihaljevic Peles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variants ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Type B ◽

Social Anhedonia ◽

Mao B ◽

Comt Activity ◽

Striatal Dopamine Release ◽

Heavy Burden ◽

Specific Increase ◽

Male Patients

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia, including anhedonia, represent a heavy burden on patients and their relatives. These symptoms are associated with cortical hypodopamynergia and impaired striatal dopamine release in response to reward stimuli. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) degrade dopamine and affect its neurotransmission. The study determined the association between COMT rs4680 and rs4818, MAO-B rs1799836 and rs6651806 polymorphisms, the severity of negative symptoms, and physical and social anhedonia in schizophrenia. Sex-dependent associations were detected in a research sample of 302 patients with schizophrenia. In female patients with schizophrenia, the presence of the G allele or GG genotype of COMT rs4680 and rs4818, as well as GG haplotype rs4818-rs4680, which were all related to higher COMT activity, was associated with an increase in several dimensions of negative symptoms and anhedonia. In male patients with schizophrenia, carriers of the MAO-B rs1799836 A allele, presumably associated with higher MAO-B activity, had a higher severity of alogia, while carriers of the A allele of the MAO-B rs6651806 had a higher severity of negative symptoms. These findings suggest that higher dopamine degradation, associated with COMT and MAO-B genetic variants, is associated with a sex-specific increase in the severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients.

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Psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale-Brief

Current Psychology ◽

10.1007/s12144-021-01618-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alexandra Straková ◽

Jakub Januška ◽

Anton Heretik ◽

Barbora Vašečková ◽

Ľubica Forgáčová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Social Anhedonia

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Measures of anhedonia and hedonic responses to sucrose in depressive and schizophrenic patients in comparison with healthy subjects

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(98)80048-5 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 303-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

I Berlin ◽

L Givry-Steiner ◽

Y Lecrubier ◽

AJ Puech

Keyword(s):

Major Depression ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Social Anhedonia ◽

Perception Threshold ◽

Sucrose Solutions ◽

Scale Scores ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Depressive Patients

SummaryAnhedonia may be considered as a transnosological feature of depression and schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to assess hedonic responses to sucrose solutions and sweet taste perception threshold in patients with major depression and in schizophrenic patients in comparison with healthy subjects (matched for age and gender with depressive patients), and to compare these responses to evaluations by the Physical and Social Anhedonia scale of Chapman and the Pleasure Scale of Fawcett, generally used to quantify anhedonia. Hedonic responses to sucrose solutions were similar in patients with major depression (n = 20), schizophrenia (n = 20), and healthy controls (n = 20). Sweet taste perception threshold was significantly higher in depressive patients than in controls. Hedonic response to sucrose was inversely correlated with physical Anhedonia Scores and sweet taste perception threshold with Pleasure Scale scores. Measures of hedonia/anhedonia were not related with the intensity of depression or anxiety as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale, respectively. In 11 depressed patients hospitalised for 17 to 33 days, neither hedonic ratings to sucrose solutions, sweet taste perception threshold, Physical, Social Anhedonia scores nor Pleasure Scale scores were modified in spite of substantial decrease in MADRS or Hamilton Anxiety scores. Hedonic responses to sucrose solutions and sweet taste perception threshold may be used as complementary evaluation to quantify anhedonia.

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