comparison of executive function and sustained attention in students with obsessive–compulsive, high schizotypal and overlapping symptoms with the normal group

aim and background: the purpose of this study was to compare executive function and sustained attention in students with obsessive–compulsive, high schizotypal and overlapping symptoms and a control group. methods and materials: the present study assessed undergraduate students of tabriz university by ex post facto method. randomized multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select 1570 students. the subjects completed schizotypal personality questionnaire and the obsessive-compulsive inventory-revised. then, during the screening phase, 140 students (in groups of 35) were selected. they completed wisconsin card sorting test, continuous performance test and stroop color-word test. data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and anova test. findings: the results of this study showed a significant difference in executive function and sustained attention between high schizotypy and overlapping groups and the control group (p < 0.05). except for commission errors in cpt, other differences observed between obsessive-compulsive and control groups in executive function and sustained attention except were insignificant (p > 0.05). conclusions: the difference between the overlapping group and obsessive-compulsive and high schizotypy groups in terms of executive function and sustained attention pattern may indicate the unique clinical characteristics of the overlapping group.