Factor Structure of the Neurocognitive Tests: An Application of the Confirmative Factor Analysis in Stabilized Schizophrenia Patients.
10.3346/jkms.2010.25.2.276
- Author:
Jihae NOH
1
;
Ji Hae KIM
;
Kyung Sue HONG
;
Nara KIM
;
Hee Jung NAM
;
Dongsoo LEE
;
Se Chang YOON
Author Information
1. Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Controlled Clinical Trial ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Confirmative Factor Analysis;
Neurocognitive Test;
Schizophrenia;
Cognition
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Attention;
Cognition Disorders/etiology;
Factor Analysis, Statistical;
Female;
Humans;
Male;
Memory;
Middle Aged;
Models, Psychological;
Neuropsychological Tests;
Problem Solving;
Schizophrenia/*diagnosis/etiology;
Severity of Illness Index;
Verbal Behavior;
Verbal Learning
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2010;25(2):276-282
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The purpose of the present study was to identify the factor structure of neurocognitive tests used on schizophrenia patients by using the confirmative factor analysis, and to assess the factor score differences of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Comprehensive neurocognitive tests were administered to stabilized schizophrenia patients (N=114) and healthy controls (N=120). In the results of factor analyses on patients, the multifactorial-6-factor model, which included the speed of processing, working memory, verbal learning and memory, visual learning and memory, attention/vigilance, and reasoning/problem solving as suggested by the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS), showed the better goodness of fit than any of the other models tested. And assessing the group differences of factor scores, we found the patients performed worse than the controls in all factors, but the result showed meaningful variations of impairments across the cognitive factors. Our study identifies the six major domains with multifactorial structure of cognitive abilities in schizophrenia patients and confirms the distinctive impairment patterns of each cognitive domain. These results may have utility in better understanding the pathology of schizophrenia as well as in genetic studies.
