Association Between Autistic Symptoms and Self-Stigma in Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Hiroshi Komatsu; Takashi Ono; Yoshinori Maita; Yusuke Ishida; Tatsuo Kikuchi; Takahiro Maki; Satoshi Hase; Hisakazu Sakurai; Akiko Oba; Osamu Teshirogi; Akira Suzuki; Yasuko Mori; Chikako Shoji; Akira Fujita; Sachiko Takahashi; Takayuki Ebina; Shinya Ozaki; Ryuta Honma; Hiroaki Tomita; Yoshihisa Kakuto

doi:10.2147/NDT.S280485

Association Between Autistic Symptoms and Self-Stigma in Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2020 Oct 29:16:2553-2561. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S280485. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Hiroshi Komatsu¹, Takashi Ono², Yoshinori Maita³, Yusuke Ishida⁴, Tatsuo Kikuchi², Takahiro Maki⁵, Satoshi Hase⁶, Hisakazu Sakurai⁶, Akiko Oba⁵, Osamu Teshirogi⁶, Akira Suzuki³, Yasuko Mori³, Chikako Shoji³, Akira Fujita³, Sachiko Takahashi³, Takayuki Ebina³, Shinya Ozaki³, Ryuta Honma³, Hiroaki Tomita⁷, Yoshihisa Kakuto²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
² Department of Psychiatry, Miyagi Psychiatric Center, Natori, Miyagi, Japan.
³ Department of Nursing, Miyagi Psychiatric Center, Natori, Miyagi, Japan.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, Miyagi Psychiatric Center, Natori, Miyagi, Japan.
⁵ Department of Rehabilitation, Miyagi Psychiatric Center, Natori, Miyagi, Japan.
⁶ Department of Social Life Support, Miyagi Psychiatric Center, Natori, Miyagi, Japan.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.

Abstract

Purpose: Self-stigma negatively influences self-esteem, quality of life, self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and recovery in psychiatric patients. By revealing personality traits that influence self-stigma, we can gain useful knowledge for the management of self-stigma. A previous meta-analysis indicated that patients with schizophrenia have higher scores on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) than healthy controls. However, the relationship between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to reveal the association between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Patients and methods: We recruited 127 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and delusional disorder). We assessed participants' self-stigma and autistic symptoms using the Internalized Stigma for Mental Illness (ISMI) scale and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), respectively. The differences in the scores of ISMI and AQ according to patient characteristics were investigated. Multiple regression analysis controlling for age and gender was performed to determine the relationship between the total scores on the AQ and IMSI scale.

Results: Female patients showed a higher level of self-stigma than males. Unmarried patients showed a significantly higher score on the AQ than married patients. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age and gender indicated that the total score on AQ might be a predictor of the overall rating on ISMI in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Conclusion: This study is the first to reveal the association between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our results highlight the importance of considering autistic symptoms in the assessment and management of self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Keywords: autistic symptoms; gender difference; marital status; schizophrenia spectrum disorders; self-stigma.

Grants and funding

This study did not receive any external funding.