Reviewing the Dissociative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophreniaand their Association With Positive and Negative Symptoms

OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to clarify dissociative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and its association with negative and positive symptom of schizophrenia. METHODS Based on the 4(th) edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria, 80 schizophrenic subjects were randomly selected from patients who referred to the clinics of psychiatry hospital in Kerman, Iran. Eighty non-schizophrenic patients were chosen as the control group. Both groups were evaluated for dissociation symptom using the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score was also used in the case group for determination of positive and negative symptom of schizophrenia. RESULTS The prevalence of dissociation symptom was 13% and 4% among schizophrenic and control groups, respectively (p = 0.02). In addition, there was a statistical significant association between DES score and positive symptom in schizophrenia (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION The association between dissociative symptom and schizophrenia was significant and dissociative symptoms were associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia. DECLARATION OF INTEREST None.