Emotional Intelligence in Schizophrenia and Bipolar-I- Disorder
Condition: Schizophrenia; Bipolar I Disorder
MeSH terms: Schizophrenia
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Scientific Background

      Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a part of social cognition is a rather new area of interest
      which focuses on personality traits and abilities enabling people to cope with both their own
      feelings as well as those of others. The "Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-Emotional-Intelligence-Test"
      (MSCEIT) (1) represents a valid and reliable instrument which exclusively covers the
      emotional components of social cognition. Recent findings indicate, that social cognitive
      impairments are useful vulnerability indicators and that EI could be an endophenotype for
      schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder (BD I). To confirm the endophenotype theory, studies
      concerning EI in relatives of schizophrenia and bipolar patients are needed. To date, studies
      on EI in BD patients as well as in first degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia or
      BD haven't been conducted yet. Accordingly, the current study focuses on the four categories
      assessed by the MSCEIT and aims to compare the task performance of patients, their first
      degree relatives and healthy control subjects. We assume that the task performance of
      relatives lies between that of patients and controls. The confirmation of this assumption
      would verify the trait marker hypothesis and could be a next step to identify a heritable
      endophenotype for schizophrenia and BD.

      Hypotheses

      Compared to healthy control subjects patients suffering from schizophrenia or BD I show
      deficits in EI. Siblings of patients with schizophrenia or BD I show deficits in EI and their
      task performance lies between that of patients and healthy controls. Deficits in EI are more
      pronounced in schizophrenia patients than in patients with BD I and are more pronounced in
      siblings of schizophrenia patients than in siblings of patients with BD I. Independently of
      diagnosis, deficits in EI affect patients' functional and subjective outcomes.

      Methods

      Emotional Intelligence will be examined using the MSCEIT in patients with schizophrenia,
      siblings of schizophrenia patients, patients with BD I, siblings of BD I patients and healthy
      volunteers matched for age, sex, and educational level. Structured clinical interviews
      according to DSM-IV (M.I.N.I. + SCID II) will be carried out to assure the diagnosis of
      schizophrenia or bipolar disorder as well as to detect (comorbid) Axis I and Axis II
      psychiatric disorders (patients, siblings, control subjects). Functional outcome will be
      assessed by using the GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale) and the PSP (Personal and
      Social Performance Scale), subjective quality of life will be examined using the BELP
      (Berliner Lebensqualiätsprofil). The MWT-B (Multiple choice vocabulary test) will be used to
      assess premorbid intelligence.
    


Observational model: Other
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Psychiatric out- and inpatient setting
      
Keywords: Emotional Intelligence