A brief questionnaire measure of multidimensional schizotypy predicts interview-rated symptoms and impairment

Abstract

The present study employed structured diagnostic interviews to assess the construct validity of the brief version of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS-B), which was developed to assess positive, negative, and disorganized dimensions of schizotypy. It was hypothesized that the MSS-B subscales would be associated with differential patterns of symptoms and impairment, comparable to findings for the full-length MSS. A total of 177 young adults completed structured diagnostic interviews assessing symptoms and impairment. As hypothesized, MSS-B positive schizotypy was significantly associated with interview ratings of positive (psychotic-like) symptoms, as well as schizotypal and paranoid personality disorder traits. MSS-B negative schizotypy was associated with interview ratings of negative symptoms, as well as schizoid, paranoid, and schizotypal traits. Furthermore, negative schizotypy predicted Cluster A personality disorder diagnoses. MSS-B disorganized schizotypy was associated with interview ratings of disorganized symptoms. All three schizotypy dimensions were associated with impaired functioning. This was the first study to evaluate the validity of the MSS-B using interview measures, and the pattern of findings for each MSS-B subscale was closely comparable to the findings for the full-length MSS. Contrary to our hypothesis, cannabis use was largely unassociated with psychotic-like symptoms and did not moderate the expression of the schizotypy dimensions. The MSS-B has good psychometric properties, high concordance with the full-length MSS, and good construct validity. Thus, it appears to be a promising brief alternative to traditional schizotypy measures.

Association of positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy with cluster a, borderline, and avoidant personality disorders and traits.

“…To determine the sample size, we reviewed effect sizes from comparable cross-sectional interview studies of schizotypy, relying primarily on Kemp et al (2021) as they used comparable measures, design, and sampling procedures as the present study. Most of our hypothesized effects had medium-to-large effect sizes in previous studies, although they ranged from small (f 2 = .07 for positive schizotypy predicting paranoid personality traits) to large (f 2 = .75 for negative schizotypy predicting schizoid personality traits).…”

“…This is relevant because recent questionnaire (Kemp et al, 2018) and ambulatory assessment (Kwapil et al, 2020) studies indicated that when positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy are used as simultaneous predictors, constructs that were previously associated with positive schizotypy appear better accounted for by disorganized schizotypy, such as negative affect, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive-behavioral disorganization (Oezgen & Grant, 2018). Kemp et al (2021) examined the association of the three schizotypy dimensions using the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS; with interview measures of symptoms and impairment, including assessment of Cluster A personality disorders diagnoses and traits. Consistent with previous findings, they reported that positive schizotypy was associated with elevated schizotypal and paranoid traits and inversely with schizoid traits, whereas negative schizotypy was associated with elevated schizotypal, schizoid, and paranoid personality disorder traits.…”

“…The study specifically sought to replicate Kemp et al's (2021) findings regarding the associations of multidimensional schizotypy with Cluster A personality disorders and to extend these findings by also examining associations with borderline and avoidant personality disorders and traits. Based on previous interview studies ( Barrantes-Vidal et al, 2013;Gooding et al, 2005;Kemp et al, 2021;Kwapil et al, 2008Kwapil et al, , 2013, we hypothesized that the MSS Positive Schizotypy subscale would be associated with elevated interview-based ratings of schizotypal and paranoid personality traits and that the Negative Schizotypy subscale would be associated with schizoid and schizotypal personality traits. Regarding the non-Cluster A personality disorders, we hypothesized that disorganized schizotypy would be associated with borderline personality disorder traits due to its strong associations with affective, cognitive, and behavioral dysregulation.…”

Examining the Relationship Between Hair Cortisol With Stress-Related and Transdiagnostic Subclinical Measures

“…The MSS-B was introduced in the protocol assessment once the sampling had already started, so only 59 (40 college and 19 technical school students) participants have data for the MSS-B. Of note, the MSS-B has demonstrated to overcome limitations associated with existing measures of schizotypy such as unclear conceptual framework, outdated items, ethnical/sex differences, or exclusion of disorganized schizotypy and to show good internal reliability and construct validity ( 83 , 84 ). Data of the MSS-B for the disorganized dimension (Cronbach alpha = 0.75) and the factorially-derived dimensional scores based on the WSS for the positive and negative dimensions were used.…”

Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale Manual v2.9

“…Association of the MSS-B subscales with interview measures of symptoms and impairment. Kemp, Bathery, Barrantes-Vidal, and Kwapil (2020) assessed the associations of the MSS-B positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy subscales with interview-rated symptoms and impairment in 177 young adults. As hypothesized, the MSS-B positive schizotypy subscale was associated with interview-rated positive symptoms, and schizotypal and paranoid personality traits.…”