Nonclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Executive Functions in Schizophrenia

Abstract

The impact of nonclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) on neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia has received little investigation. The authors evaluated whether severity and subtype of OCS are associated with executive functioning in schizophrenia. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 healthy comparison subjects completed questionnaire and performance-based measures of executive functioning. Overall OCS severity in patients was associated with poorer monitoring and cognitive flexibility. Obsessing, hoarding, and checking were related to poorer executive functioning in daily life. Performance-based scores showed few correlations with OCS. Findings indicate that severity of nonclinical OCS subtypes contributes to the heterogeneity of executive functions in schizophrenia.