Plasma cortisol levels and illness appraisal in deficit syndrome schizophrenia.

Research investigating the association between negative symptoms and plasma cortisol levels in individuals with schizophrenia has produced inconsistent findings. This study investigated whether deficit syndrome schizophrenia (characterized by high levels of primary negative symptoms) is associated with comparatively high morning plasma cortisol levels, more negative appraisals about illness and higher levels of depression. Participants were 85 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 85 individuals with no history of contact with psychiatric services matched for age and gender.

Hopelessness in schizophrenia: the impact of symptoms and beliefs about illness.

Risk factors for the development of hopelessness in schizophrenia remain poorly understood. This study investigated how psychiatric symptom levels and beliefs about illness might be linked to hopelessness in 100 patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia. Participants were assessed on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), the Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire (PBIQ), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS).