The cognitive factor of the PANSS: A confirmatory factor analysis and related cognitive correlates
Abstract
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) is a 30-item clinical rating scale that has been used extensively to measure schizophrenic symptoms in different settings. Originally when it was developed, the PANSS consisted of 3 scales, positive, negative, and general psychopathology, but several factor analyses have consistently obtained a five-factor solution. The five factors most often cited are: positive, negative, anxiety/depression, hostility/excitement, and cognitive/disorganization. Although the five factors are fairly stable, some debate has existed surrounding the items within the cognitive/disorganization factor for samples of inpatients in an acute phase of illness versus outpatients who are in a stabilized phase of illness. The current study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to test six models (the original three-factor model and five five-factor models) in a sample of stable outpatients with schizophrenia in order to find a representative factor solution and better understand the cognitive/disorganization factor in this population. The White et al. (1997) model was found to be the best fitting model, and the five factors of the White et al. (1997) model were correlated with a series of neuropsychological tests to determine the relationship between cognitive functioning and the symptom factors. The autistic preoccupation (cognitive) factor was negatively correlated with processing speed, executive functioning, and the global index of cognitive functioning while the dysphoric factor was positively related to attention. No other significant correlations were found for the remaining three symptom factors.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Bond, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Mental health
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