Empathy is related to quality of life, depression, insight and social functioning and may be an important factor in recovery of people with schizophrenia. Empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, however it is not clear which elements of empathy are…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Empathy as measured with the Empathic Accuracy Test, Faux Pas Test,
Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective
Empathy en the Metacognition Assessment Scale.
Secondary outcome
Social functioning (Time Use) Insight (Beck Cognitive Insight Scale),
Depression (Quick Inventory of Depressve Symptomalogy), Stigma (Internalized
Stigma of Mental Illness Scale) Quality of Life (Manchester Short Assessment of
Quality of Life).
Background summary
Schizophrenia is a chronic illness of which poor social functioning is a core
characteristic. A crucial capacity for maintaining successful relationships is
empathy. Empathy exists of affective and cognitive processes. Some research
shows that affective aspects and cognitive aspects of empathy are impaired in
people with schizophrenia. However, the literature is not consistent on this
matter. We want to investigate which aspectis of empathy are affected in people
with schizofrenia. Research suggests that empathy might be impaired in people
at risk of psychosis. Impaired empathy, among other factors, may function as a
predictor for the later development of schizophrenia. Therefore, we also want
to investigate if empathy is affected in people who are at risk of psychosis
(UHR group).
Study objective
Empathy is related to quality of life, depression, insight and social
functioning and may be an important factor in recovery of people with
schizophrenia. Empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, however it is not clear
which elements of empathy are affected exactly. We want to investigate this.
Research questions:
What elements of empathy are impaired in people with schizophrenia?
What elements of empathy are impaired in people who are at risk for psychosis?
Is empathy correlated with quality of life, social functioning, depression,
stigma and insight in people with schizophrenia and people at risk of
psychosis?
Study design
Case-control study
Study burden and risks
Participants in this study are not expected to be at any risk. Each participant
will receive 15 euro for their participation. The assessment will take up to
two hours. The participant is allowed to quit when he/she doesn't want to
continue the assessment.
An important research question is whether empathy is affected in people who are
at risk of psychosis. First signs of psychosis may appear at a young age. We
want to investigate the total 'at risk' population and therefore want to
include young participants between the age of 15 and 18 in the study.
Grote Kruisstraat 2/1
Groningen 9712 TS
NL
Grote Kruisstraat 2/1
Groningen 9712 TS
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Patients with schizophrenia:;- Diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, according to DSM-IV-TR criteria;
- Being able to give informed consent;
- 18 years or older;
- No change in medication in the past thirty days;
- Low metacognition (group 1) and high metacognition (group 2). ;Patients in UHR group:;- At risk of psychosis determined by genetic risk or the CAARMS;
- Being able to give informed consent;
- No change in medication in the past thirty days.
Exclusion criteria
All participants:;- Florid psychosis;
- Comorbid neurological disorder;
- Substance dependence (not substance abuse);
- IQ < 70.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL49321.042.14 |