The Comparison of Memory in Schizotypal Personality Disorder and Normal Individuals

Introduction: Schizotypal personality disorder, as a mild form of schizophrenia consists of cognitive, perceptual and emotional symptoms that disrupt normal function of cognitive abilities. This study compared the cognitive performance of patients with schizotypal personality disorder and normal individuals.
Methods: The research design was causal - comparative one. The sample was 90 participants 30 patients with schizotypal personality disorder (using drugs), 30 patients with schizotypal personality disorder (not using drugs) and 30 normal controls were selected of governmental and private psychiatric clinics by available sampling. Wechsler Memory Test (WMT) and two subscales of vocabulary and digit span of Wechsler Intelligence Test (WAIS) were administered among selected samples. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance.
Results: The results showed significant differences between schizotypal participant and normal group on cognitive performance. Schizotypal groups(with and without drug use) were lower scored on personal information, mental control, logical memory, associative learning, words lists and digital memory. Also, the results showed significant differences on navigation and visual memory. That is, schizotypal groups (with and without drug use) were lower scored on mentioned scales. However, schizotypal groups were equal on navigation and visual memory.
Conclusion: The major cognitive deficit of schizotypal personality disorder group is on working memory, visual memory, logical memory, attention. An interesting point in current research is finding about deficit of schizotypal personality disorder group on cognitive tasks such as memory and mental control.