Negative symptom configuration in first episode Schizophrenia: findings from the “Parma Early Psychosis” program

Abstract

<b>Purpose:</b> Identifying distinct dimensions of negative symptoms in First Episode Schizophrenia (FES) might result in a better understanding and treatment of this invalidating symptomatology. Aim of this study was to examine negative symptom structure in FES patients using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).<b>Materials and Methods:</b> All 147 participants, aged 12-35 years, completed the PANSS and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was performed to investigate PANSS negative symptom structure in the FES total sample.<b>Results:</b> A 2-factor model (i.e. "Expressive Deficits" and "Asociality" dimensions) was identified. Only "Expressive Deficits" domain had a significant negative correlation with baseline GAF score.<b>Conclusions:</b> This bipartite solution seems to be adequate to describe the phenomenological variety of negative symptoms experienced by FES individuals at the point of entry in early intervention services.