CUE AVAILABILITY AND AFFECT PERCEPTION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

This study examined affect perception in schizophrenia. Subjects were 35 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 11 with bi polar disorder, and 19 matched nonpatient controls. All patients were in the latter stages of an acute hospitalization. Measures included a videotaped test of affect perception administered with and without sou nd, two tests of facial affect perception based on photographs, and tw o measures of nonaffect perception. The patient groups did not differ from one another on any of the affect perception measures, and few dif ferences occurred between schizophrenia patients and nonpatient contro ls. Affect perception in schizophrenia patients was not correlated wit h symptomatology or history of illness, and there were no gender diffe rences. Deficits reported in prior studies may reflect limitations in the assessment methodology commonly employed.