S49. THE RELATION BETWEEN PROCESSING SPEED AND USAGE OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Hoşgelen Emine Ilgın , Akgül Özge , Binnur Akdede Berna , Alptekin Koksal 
Published: May 2020

Background

Processing speed is one of the main areas of cognitive process which takes attention to do research on cognition in schizophrenia. Processing speed is also essential in learning, problem-solving and related to social cognitive functions. Technology use has become widespread in health and has gained functionality in many areas. By technology-based interventions, it might be possible to provide improvements in the psychosocial functioning of the patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to look at the relationship between processing speed and technology use in schizophrenia patients.

Methods

Data were collected from the patients who applied to Dokuz Eylül University Medicine Faculty Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic. Forty-one schizophrenia patients and 10 schizoaffective disorder patients who had been diagnosed as Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were included in the study. A questionnaire to evaluate the use of technology of the patients was developed. The level of the psychosocial functioning was assessed using the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and the positive and negative symptom severity was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Stroop Colour and Word Test (SCWT) and Digit Symbol Coding Test (DSC) to rate processing speed have been applied.

Results

More than half of patients had mobile phone (n=47, 92,2%), computer (n=33, 64,7%), internet connection at home (n=34, 66,7%), internet connection on mobile phone (n=34, 66,7%), mobile application (n=33, 64,7%), social media application (n=26, 51,0%). facebook (n=27, 52,9%), whatsapp (n=28, 54,9%), messaging application (n=31, 60,8%). There is a statistically significant difference as duration of shorter reaction in DSC scores between patients who use (u) internet access on mobile phone (u= 34,35, nu= 24,88, p=0,013), whatsapp (u=35,00, nu=26,57, p=0,025), and messaging application (u=34,52, nu=26,05, p=0,022) compared to patients who are nonusers (nu). Having internet connection on mobile phone (p=0,028) and using whatsapp (p=0,010) showed a statistically significant relationship with neutral stimulus reaction time on SCWT among users compared to nonusers. Also, congruent task is statistically related with using mobile application (p=0,038), whatsapp (p=0,042) and messaging application (p=0,050). The other significant finding is patients who use internet access on mobile phone (u= 94,67 seconds, nu= 120,94 s, p=0,017), messaging applications (u=92,33 s, nu= 120,50 s, p=0,015) and whatsapp (u= 88,85 s, nu=120,91 s, p=0,005) showed statistically significant shorter duration in incongruent task of SCWT compared to patients who are not users.

Discussion

Patients who use the internet and messaging applications also had better scores in processing speed. “Being online” or having an opportunity to “be online” may improve processing speed skills or patients having good processing speed ability may easily use mobile phone applications. We found a significant reciprocal relationship between processing speed and using the internet, messaging application and social media applications.