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Negative Symptoms, Neurological Signs and Neuropsychological Impairments in 204 Hong Kong Chinese Patients with Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

E. Y. H. Chen*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong
L. C. W. Lam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong
R. Y. L. Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
D. G. H. Nguyen
Affiliation:
Kwai Chung Hospital, Hong Kong
*
Dr Eric Chen, Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong. Fax: 852-8551345

Abstract

Background

Studies of the relationship between negative symptoms, neuropsychological impairments and neurological signs in schizophrenia have yielded inconsistent results. In addition, little attention has been directed to address the extent of cultural modulation of negative symptoms.

Method

We carried out cross-cultural validation of the High Royds Evaluation of Negativity Scale (HEN) in 50 Hong Kong Chinese patients with schizophrenia. We then investigated the relationship between negative symptoms, neurological signs and neuropsychological impairment in 204 patients.

Results

Good interrater reliability, internal reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were found with the HEN. The HEN contained four factors corresponding to ‘behaviour‘, ‘functioning‘, ‘thought’ and ‘appearance’. Negative symptoms were correlated with semantic fluency but not with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance or sustained attention. Negative symptoms were also correlated with tardive dyskinesia and catatonia but not with soft neurological signs.

Conclusions

Cross-cultural robustness of the negative symptoms construct is supported. Association of negative symptoms with a specific profile of neurocognitive impairment suggests diversity within deficit domains in schizophrenia.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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