dc.description.abstract | The primary aim of this study is to explore the personality characteristics of patients with schizophrenia measured by the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2).The differences of personality presentation between schizophrenic patients and community adults on CPAI-2 were compared, and the correlations of patients’ personality pattern with age of onset, and with duration of illness were also explored. There were 104 schizophrenic patients and 175 community controls completed the CPAI-2 questionnaire, and the attending psychiatrists also completed the Patient’s Diagnostic Schedule, including the information of the diagnosis, age of onset, duration of illness, and current psychiatric symptoms. The findings from this study are summarized below. (1) Differences of personality pattern between two groups:In terms of the factorial level of CPAI-2(higher level of traits), schizophrenic patients are scored significantly higher than comparison group on emotional problem factor and behavioral problem factor, which are both composed of clinical scales. In addition, the patient group is scored significantly lower than comparison group on social potency factor and accommodation factor, which both are composed of normal personality scales. In terms of the scale level of CPAI-2(lower level of traits), schizophrenic patients are scored significantly higher than comparison group on the scales of inferiority v.s. self-acceptance, anxiety, depression, somatization, and sexual maladjustment in the emotional problem factor. They are also showed higher scores on the scales of hypomania, antisocial behavior, need for attention, distortion of reality, and paranoia in the behavioral problem factor. As to the normal personality scales, schizophrenic patients are scored significantly lower than comparison group on the scales of novelty, diversity, divergent thinking, and enterprise in the social potency factor; and they are also scored significantly lower on the scales of graciousness-meanness and interpersonal tolerance scales in the accommodation factor though are scored significantly higher on the defensiveness scale in the accommodation factor. Furthermore, the study also found that patients’ scores are significantly higher on the inferiority v.s. self-acceptance scale in the dependability factor, on the traditionalism-modernity and discipline scales in the interpersonal relatedness factor, but significantly lower on the optimism-pessimism scale in the dependability factor, on the social sensitivity scale in the interpersonal relatedness factor. (2) Correlation between personality pattern of patient group on CPAI-2 and age of onset in patient group: On the factorial level, age of onset has a significant negative correlation with emotional problem and behavioral problem factors, and has a significant positive correlation with accommodation factor. On the scales level, age of onset is negatively correlated with the scales of inferiority v.s. self-acceptance, anxiety, depression, sexual maladjustment, hypomania, need for attention, and paranoia, and positively correlated with scales of optimism-pessimism and graciousness-meanness. (3) Correlation between personality pattern of patient group on CPAI-2 and duration of illness: On the factorial level, duration of illness has a significant negative correlation with emotional problem and behavioral problem factors. On the scales level, duration of illness is negatively correlated with scales of inferiority v.s. self-acceptance, depression, antisocial behavior, and paranoia; and positively correlated with scale of optimism-pessimism. The above results shows that when compared with community subjects, personality traits of patients with schizophrenia tend to be more traditional, rigid, conservative, restricted, withdrawal in interpersonal interactions, defensive, and pessimistic. In clinical characteristics, they tend to be more inferior, anxious, depressive, hard to express feelings of personal disturbance, more impulsive, ego-centric, disobedient on the rule, and distorted from reality in thinking and perception. Those traits stated above may weaken their ability in personal adjustment to the challenge of environmental change or stress. The hypothesis that patient’s psycho-social development of personality would be disrupted by schizophrenia is supported by the significant correlations revealed among the patients’ personality traits, age of onset, and duration of illness. Results of this study indicated that the earlier the age of onset is; the higher the patients’ inferiority, anxiety, depression, sexual maladjustment, hypomania, need for attention, and paranoia would be. It also combined with lower graciousness, optimism, and accommodation. This finding might be explained by that the younger the schizophrenic patients get the illness; the earlier the psycho-social development would be disrupted. Another finding of this study indicated that the longer the illness duration is; the lower the patients’ inferiority, depression, antisocial behavior, need for attention, and paranoia would be. It also combined with higher optimism. This finding is difficult to be explained by the previous literatures related to the impact of chronicity on patients with schizophrenia. Further studies to test the influences of illness and treatment on personality traits and clinical personality characteristics in patients with schizophrenia are warranted. | en |