Prediction of Schizophrenia Neuropsychological Characteristics Based on Social Cognition Aspects in a Non-Clinical Sample
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Abstract :
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the mutual relationship between characteristics of schizophrenia (Sc) with theory of mind and alexithymia, as social cognitive as-pects, in a nonclinical group. The research method was descriptive-correlational design of regression prediction. To do so, 200 university students (100 males, 100 females) were selec-ted by multistage cluster sampling from the two universities of Bonab city, East Azarbayjan province in Iran (Payame Noor and University of Bonab). Having any physical or psycho-neurological chronic illnesses was the elimi-nation criterion in the study. To collect data the 78-item scale of MMPI-2 for schizophrenia, Reading Mind from Eyes Test (RMET), and Alexithymia Questionnaire (FTAS-20) were used. Data were analyzed by Pearson's cor-relation test, linear regression analysis, and mul-tiple simultaneus regression analysis. According to the results, the predictive role of theory of mind and alexithymia in characteristics of schi-zophrenia were confirmed. Separately, theory of mind explained 19% and alexithymia explained 57% of the variance of neuro-psychological characteristics of schizophrenia. Studying the combined contribution of theory of mind and alexithymia in schizophrenic characteristics in-dicated that, among the two variables, only the predictive variable affecting features of schizo-phrenia was alexithymia (with beta=0.58).