The significance of social-cognitive assessment processes for the development of schizophrenic disorders

The relation of abnormalities in information processing and symptoms of sch izophrenia can be explained by consideration of social-cognitive appraisal processes. Accordingly schizophrenic patients are marked by deficits in the ability to take another's perspective. An insufficiently validated self-co ncept, a fragile self-esteem because of higher moral requirements and a ten dency to self-reference are the consequences. In this study 61 schizophreni c patients are compared with 69 non-patients. As expected the schizophrenic patients show significantly higher moral requirements to themselves and si gnificantly fewer non-self-referential explanations of social situations. T he comparison of subgroups of schizophrenic patients with distinguishing sy mptoms reveals no differences, which supports the assumption of stable trai ts.