Abstract (eng)
Theoretical Background: Cognitive deficits are characteristic of schizophrenia and contribute to a worse quality of life for patients. Because schizophrenia shows similarities with elevated levels of schizotypy on the behavioral level as well as on the neurally level, the main focus of this study lies on schizotypy. The objective of this study was to find out, if social contact is connected to executive functions. In addition to that, possible deficits within the social functions of people with elevated levels of schizotypy were analyzed.
Methods: A sample of 41 people with elevated levels of schizotypy and 43 people of a control group were tested on their executive functioning and asked about their social contacts. Participants were tested by Stroop Test (FWIT), the Trail Making Test (MTM), the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), the “Fragebogen zu sozialer Angst und sozialen Kompetenzdefiziten (SASKO) and a questionnaire concerning the number and quality of the participants’ social network.
Results: A significant negative correlations between inhibition and the number of social contacts was found. There was a significant difference between the control group and the experimental group concerning their deficits in social competences.
Conclusion: In this study correlations between inhibition and social network were found, which supports empirical findings of previous studies.