Eye movements during the Rorschach test in schizophrenia

Abstract

In order to understand relationships between scanning behaviors, characteristics of visual stimuli and the clinical symptoms in schizophrenia, eye movements of 37 schizophrenic patients and 36 controls were recorded using an eye-mark recorder during a free-response period in a Rorschach test. Four cards (I, II, V and VIII) were used. Data were analyzed during 15 s from the presentation of each card. For all cards, the number of eye fixations and the number of eye fixation areas were fewer, and total scanning length and mean scanning length were shorter for schizophrenic patients than for controls. For card II, in the non-popular response group, eye fixation frequency upon area 5 + 6 (red) was higher for schizophrenic patients. For card VIII, in the popular response group, eye fixation frequency upon area 5 + 6 (pink) was lower for schizophrenic patients. For cards II and VIII, the number of eye fixations was inversely correlated with negative symptoms. For card II, total scanning length tended to be inversely correlated with negative symptoms, and mean eye fixation time was correlated with negative symptoms. The number of eye fixation areas was inversely correlated with positive symptoms. For card VIII, eye fixation frequency in a stimulative area tended to be correlated with positive symptoms. Scanning behaviors in schizophrenic patients are affected by characteristics of visual stimuli, and partially by clinical symptoms.

Analysis of exploratory eye movements in patients with schizophrenia during visual scanning of projective tests' figures

“…Changes in visual scan pattern was found in other studies indicating that eye movement properties are altered in schizophrenia patients 6,[11][12][13]23,24 and in their first-degree relatives 4 . Eye movement studies show that even in simple tasks, such as saccades directed to a target, the generation of eye movements is mediated by bottom-up sensorial processes and top-down complex cognitive processes.…”

“…To what extent this is due to medication remains unclear. Studies correlating eye movement properties, symptomatology and medication dose have shown discordant results 6,[11][12][13]23,28 . Controlled studies comparing the effects of risperidone and olanzapine have found a decrease in the mean length of the saccadic movements in schizophrenia patients compared to controls but no difference was found among patients due to the medication type 30 .…”

“…In this study, the cards I, II, V, VIII of the Rorschach test 11 were used in addition to 8 cards of the TAT, that were divided in two groups according to the content of each card. Cards 2, 8, 9, and 13 depict scenes with images from nature, people, and other concrete objects.…”

“…The following parameters are analyzed in both approaches to describe the pattern of visual scanning: total number of fixations the subject accomplishes during the visual scanning of a stimulus, mean duration of fixations and length of saccadic movements 6 . Differences between patients with schizophrenia and controls have been identified in different tasks: smooth pursuit eye movements 3 , closed-eye movements 9 , and exploratory eye movements [10][11][12] .…”

“…Thus, abstract Rorschach test cards 15 elicit higher level association and projection than when perceiving a scene and people in the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) 16 cards. Rorschach test cards have been used to correlate eye movements with clinical symptoms and stimuli characteristics among schizophrenia patients 11 . Eye movements were registered during the 15 seconds that the cards were presented and the clinical symptoms were assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.…”