Theory of mind and its relationship with psychopathology in schizophrenia

In this study, it was aimed to determine theory of mind disorders and associated factors in schizophrenia patients in remission period and healthy volunteers. The study included 52 schizophrenia patients in remission period who were admitted to psychiatry outpatient clinic of Gaziosmanpasa University Medical Faculty Hospital and 52 healthy volunteers who were paired with patients in terms of age and educational time. Sociodemographic data form, reading the mind in the eyes test, thought and language index were applied to both groups. PANSS have also been applied to schizophrenia patients. While both groups were assessed for their theory of mind abilities and for disorders of thought and language, schizophrenia patients were also assessed for the severity and distribution of symptoms. In terms of disease severity, schizophrenia patients were in remission. While the scores of schizophrenia patients on reading the mind in the eyes test were lower than those on the control group, the total scores on the thought and language index and subscale scores were determined higher in schizophrenia patients and these differences were statistically significant. It was found that when the thought and language index and subscales were correlated with reading the mind in the eyes test , as the scores from the thought and language index increased the scores from reading the mind in the eyes test were decreased. In this study, impaired theory of mind abilities were shown in patients with schizophrenia during the remission period. It was determined that patients with thought disorders also had impaired theory of mind abilities. It is thought that considering these disorders in the evaluation process of schizophrenia patients is important in improving the course of the disease, increasing social functioning and establishing a treatment alternative points.