Splitting of Associative Threads: The Expression of Schizotypal Ambivalence in Daily Life

Abstract

Ambivalence, which refers to the simultaneous experience of contradictory emotions and cognitions, has a longstanding and important role in the study of both normal and pathological functioning. Bleuler and Meehl viewed ambivalence as a central component of schizophrenic, and more broadly schizotypic, psychopathology. Ambivalence is associated with questionnaire and interview measures of schizotypic symptoms and impairment. However, its real-world expression has not been explored. The present study examined the expression of ambivalence, as assessed by the Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale, in daily life using experience sampling methodology. Specifically, it examined the association of ambivalence with affect, daily activities, and social and cognitive functioning in the moment. A sample of 430 male and female young adults completed an average of 42 daily life assessments during a one-week period. Ambivalence predicted diminished positive affect, increased negative affect, cognitive impairment, and social impairment. Furthermore, ambivalence moderated the effects of social closeness, emotional expression, and activity enjoyment on affect and functioning in daily life. Specifically, ambivalence was associated with affective dysregulation and greater reactivity to social stress. The present findings provided the first examination of the expression of ambivalence in daily life and support its inclusion as a component of schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology. Keywords: Schizotypal ambivalence | Experience sampling methodology | Schizotypy | Schizophrenia | Daily life Article:The present study examined the experience and expression of ambivalence in daily life using experience sampling methodology. Ambivalence has been described as a core feature of schizophrenia (e.g., Bleuler 1911/1950) and of schizotypy (e.g., Meehl 1962). However, the construct has been relatively understudied and its expression outside of traditional laboratory settings has not been examined. The present study builds on recent psychometric and laboratory

The Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale: An Item Response Theory Analysis

“…Kwapil et al [ 11 ] reported that SAS scores correlated 0.49 with the positive schizotypy factor, 0.38 with the negative schizotypy factor, and 0.66 with the disorganized schizotypy factor of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale [ 12 ]. Burgin et al [ 13 ] used experience sampling methodology to demonstrate that schizotypal ambivalence was associated with diminished positive affect, increased negative affect, as well as cognitive and social impairment in daily life. Using a French translation of the SAS [ 14 ], Loas et al [ 15 ] found that first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia had higher schizotypal ambivalence than first-degree relatives of people with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders.…”

A temporal examination of co-activated emotion valence networks in schizophrenia and schizotypy

“…Individuals with schizophrenia have reported abnormally co-activated positive and negative emotions when processing unambiguously neutral and positively valenced laboratory stimuli across a number of studies (see Cohen and Minor, 2010 for a meta-analysis; Tremeau et al, 2009b). In schizotypy, abnormal co-activation of self-reported “trait-like” positive and negative emotions ( vis a vis ambivalence) are seen on standardized questionnaires (MacAulay et al, 2014), and, per a recent experience sampling study, are associated with abnormal social motivation and emotion regulation (Burgin et al, 2014). On the other hand, laboratory evidence of co-activated positive and negative systems in schizotypy is limited (e.g., Cohen et al, 2011).…”