Schizophrenia Research Trends

34Reiko Koide and Akira TamaokaStatisticsThe number of subjects perceiving MFs and those not perceiving MF was calculated ineach diagnostic group.ResultsSeventy-five out of 76 chronic schizophrenic patients (98%) saw MFs. All 22 acuteschizophrenic patients saw MFs. Twenty-eight out of 30 patients with anxiety disorders didnot perceive MF. None of the healthy adults saw the MF. It would be reasonable to regard theMFs as characteristic of schizophrenia. The number of subjects perceiving MFs (MF+) andthose not perceiving MF (MF-) in schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic groups are shown inTable 14 (x 2 = 11.308, df=1, p=0.001).Both of two patients with anxiety disorders who perceived MFs were young adolescentmales and had brief psychotic episodes in their life histories. One patient with chronicschizophrenia who did not perceive MF was a middle-aged male patient who scored the leasttotal response to the inkblots. (His total response was less than ten.)Table 14. MFs in schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic groups. (Study 5.)SchizophrenicNon-schizophrenicAcute Chronic Anxiety Disorders Normal(N=22) (N=76) (N=30) (N=28)MF+ 22 75 2 0MF- 0 1 28 28DiscussionThe primary contribution of this investigation is to find that Rorschach percepts of amass of flesh are characteristic of schizophrenia. It was found that although there are somedifferences in their responses, the perception of a mass of flesh in Rorschach inkblot stimuliwas broadly seen as living things with diminished arms, legs or head. By developinginclusion and exclusion criteria for MFs, detection of MFs would become easier and morereliable. To test whether the perception of MFs in inkblots is unique to schizophrenia or not,we examined the Rorschach Test data of 22 acute schizophrenia, 30 anxiety disorders and 28healthy adults. Ninety-seven out of 98 schizophrenic patients saw MFs, although only twoout of 30 patients with anxiety disorders saw MFs. Further, healthy adults did not see anyMF. Thus, MFs proved to be characteristic of schizophrenia.An index for detecting such responses is particularly important because it provides a toolfor detecting schizophrenia in its early phase. Ninety-eight percent of chronic schizophrenics,as well as 100% of acute schizophrenic patients, perceived MFs. The perception of MFsmight exist from the time of onset and therefore be able to detect a very early phase ofschizophrenia, suggesting the diagnostic predictive value of MF perception. As a greaterunderstanding of the nature of schizophrenia has refocused attention on the early course ofpsychosis in the from of early detection and intervention around the onset (McGlashan &Johannessen, 1996) the inclusion and exclusion criteria would have more value if MFs arefound in the prodrome of schizophrenia.