Cue Availability and Affect Perception in Schizophrenia

This study examined affect perception in schizophrenia. Subjects were 35 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 11 with bipolar disorder, and 19 matched nonpatient controls. All patients were in the latter stages of an acute hospitalization. Measures included a videotaped test of affect perception administered with and without sound, two tests of facial affect perception based on photographs, and two measures of nonaffect perception. The patient groups did not differ from one another on any of the affect perception measures, and few differences occurred between schizophrenia patients and nonpatient controls. Affect perception in schizophrenia patients was not correlated with symptomatology or history of illness, and there were no gender differences. Deficits reported in prior studies may reflect limitations in the assessment methodology commonly employed.