Resilience in Patients With Recent Diagnosis of a Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This study focused on resilience in patients who recently received a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Psychopathological symptoms, depressive symptoms, and hopelessness were considered as sources of stress in the context of psychosis. Forty-eight SSD patients (mean period between diagnosis and recruitment, 20.79 months) were enrolled. Psychopathological symptoms were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, depression by the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, hopelessness by the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and functioning by the Social and Occupational Functioning Scale. Resilience was evaluated by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, which was additionally completed by 81 healthy controls. Patients demonstrated less resilience than did healthy participants. Female patients showed higher resilience levels and functioning than did males. High resilience levels were associated with less severe positive symptoms, general psychopathological symptoms, depression, and hopelessness. Apart from negative symptoms, results indicated that resilience may be a potential moderator of functioning. Thus, resilience-oriented interventions might constitute an additional therapeutic approach for SSD patients.

Resilience as a multimodal dynamic process

“…Evidence suggests that resilience is higher in healthy individuals when compared to patients. For example, individuals identified as being at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis (Marulanda & Addington, ) and individuals with a schizophrenia‐spectrum disorder (Bozikas et al, ) scored significantly lower on self‐report measures of resilience than healthy controls. However, studies which compare resilience in patients and healthy controls often do not account for exposure to risk, an important consideration for resilience research.…”

“…Kim et al () identified that resilience was lower in individuals at CHR who ultimately made a transition to frank psychosis than those who did not. Furthermore, in their sample of patients with schizophrenia‐spectrum disorder, Bozikas et al () identified that patients with higher resilience also presented with better functioning. Together, findings like these indicate that higher resilience may have a protective effect against the development, or long‐term effects, of mental illnesses.…”

Resilience and Cognitive Function in Patients With Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, and Healthy Controls

“…Mizuno et al in particular, found that Resilience Scale total scores were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder than in healthy controls, although the difference between patient groups was not significant ( 4 ). A research demonstrated that patients who recently received a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder showed less resilience than healthy controls ( 5 ). And patients with chronic non-remitted schizophrenia also showed lower resilience scores than healthy controls ( 6 ).…”

Clinical and psychosocial factors associated with depression in patients with psychosis according to stage of illness

“…Resilience is a construct encompassing personal resources and the dynamic process of adaptation to challenging life conditions that could be protective against mental problems (Kim-Cohen, 2007;Rutter, 2006). A few previous studies have shown that low resilience has an effect on depression in patients in various stages of schizophrenia, including those at high risk for psychosis (Bozikas et al, 2016;Marulanda & Addington, 2016;Rossi et al, 2017). Additionally, resilience helps young psychotic patients overcome a major psychosocial obstacle that disrupts their lives (Henderson & Cock, 2015).…”