Worrying in people with schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction: Worrying is a cognitive process observed both in healthy people and those who suffer from mental disorders. The analyses of its relevance to coping with difficult situations can be found in the literature but there is little information on its significance and extent in the lives of people who suffer from schizophrenia. Purpose: The aim of the study was to define the prevalence of worrying and its relationship to the social functioning of people suffering from schizophrenia, compared to the worrying experienced by healthy subjects. Methods: The study involved 37 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (ICD-10), currently hospitalized in rehabilitation day wards, and 38 healthy subjects. The following research tools were used: the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), the Social Functioning Questionnaire, and the Global Assessment of Functioning and Socio-demographic Background Questionnaire. The control group comprised healthy subjects matched for age and sex with the clinical group of patients with schizophrenia. Results: The degree of worrying exhibited by people with schizophrenia differed from that obtained in the analysis of healthy subjects. The difference occurred at the level of statistical tendency. The worrying experienced by people in the clinical group was related to various areas of functioning: social functioning, communication, building interpersonal relationships or effective ways of spending leisure time. Conclusions: Our results show a statistical tendency towards people with schizophrenia worrying more often than people in the control group. A significant and negative covariance was noted in the clinical group between the tendency to worry, communication skills and building interpersonal relationships as well as effective leisure time management.