Backward masking as a measure of slow processing in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Three groups of hospitalized adolescents (schizophrenics, schizotypal personalities, and borderline personality adolescent adjustment reactions) with 10 subjects in each group were compared for their ability to identify masked and unmasked stimuli. Results revealed that the schizophrenic group required longer minimum exposure durations for criterion identification of unmasked stimuli than the other two groups (p < .01). Under conditions of visual backward masking, however, schizotypal personalities as well as schizophrenics showed a relative deficit. Results supported Heston's notion that schizophrenia spectrum disorders may be different degrees of expression of the same underlying defect. Previous results with visual backward masking in adults were also extended to adolescents. The findings were consistent with a slow information processing hypothesis for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Theoretical implications of this hypothesis are discussed.