The nature and timing of social deficits in child and adolescent offspring of parents with schizophrenia: preliminary evidence for precursors of negative symptoms? | LitMetric
Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Published: October 2014
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Children with social dysfunction and a first-degree relative with schizophrenia are at elevated risk for schizophrenia; however, the nature of this dysfunction is unclear. It was hypothesized that familial high-risk (HR) children and adolescents (n=17) would have social skill deficits relative to healthy controls (HC; n=35). HR participants had a bimodal distribution of social skill scores (47% excellent; 53% poor). HR participants had worse social skills, assertion and empathy scores, suggesting possible developmental precursors to the social amotivation domain of negative symptoms. Characterizing HR children's social deficits could assist identification of those at risk for schizophrenia.
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