The Self in the Spectrum: A Closer Look at the Temporal Stability of Self-Disorders in Schizophrenia.

Self-disorders are persistent, abnormal experiences of the self that indicate a vulnerability to schizophrenia. They influence how diagnostic symptoms develop over time and can be assessed using the Examination of Anomalous Self Experiences (EASE). Building on a recent longitudinal study, researchers examined how the descriptive dimensions of self-disorders—stream of consciousness, presence, corporeality, demarcation, and solipsism—interact. After a 5-year follow-up, the connections among these dimensions became tighter, confirming that EASE domains are interdependent aspects of an overall structural change in subjectivity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Self-disorders are temporally persisting, experiential anomalies of subjective experiences that index liability to schizophrenia. They impact on the temporal unfolding of concomitant, diagnostic symptoms and can be suitably characterized through the Examination of Anomalous Self Ex periences (EASE). Capitalizing on the results of a recent longitudinal study, we explored the relevant patterns of interaction within self-disorders' descriptive dimensions (i.e., stream of consciousness, presence, corporeality, demarcation, and solipsism). The results indicated that after a 5-year follow-up the interconnection across SD dimensions tightened, confirming that EASE domains are interdependent aspects of an overarching structural change of subjectivity.