Basic self-disorders may play a role in the development of depression in schizophrenia: a seven-year follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION

Depression is the most common co-morbid psychiatric disorder in patients with schizophrenia and has a negative effect on functional outcomes and quality of life. There are several possible pathways leading to depressive symptoms in schizophrenia. Self-disorders are disturbances in the deepest, pre-reflective level of the self and are suggested to be core features of schizophrenia. The relationship between self-disorders, and depressive symptoms has only been studied to a limited extent, and there are no longitudinal studies. This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-disorders at baseline and the development of depression over the follow-up period.

METHODS

Self-disorders were examined with the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience (EASE) instrument in 31 patients with schizophrenia during their first treatment. Seven years later we measured the total number of depressive episodes since the start of treatment.

RESULTS

We found a clear association between self-disorders at baseline and the total number of depressive episodes over the follow-up period.

DISCUSSION

Self-disorders may play a role in the development of depression in schizophrenia. This may have implications for therapeutic approaches targeting a condition that is characterized by considerable suffering and an elevated risk of suicide.