(PS7-86) Cognitive Schema Charge and Permeability in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Cognitive models of psychosis highlight maladaptive cognitive schema and biases as key factors in the development and maintenance of psychosis. Schemas provide the organizational structure to our beliefs and, when maladaptive, are characterized by a pattern of over-activation (i.e., high schema charge) and rigidity (i.e., low schema permeability). Cognitive biases, such as externalizing biases and attention to threat bias, are skewed information processing mechanisms. Maladaptive schemas give rise to cognitive biases, which serve as the basis of delusional and hallucinatory belief systems through interpretation. The current study investigated whether schema charge and schema permeability differ between individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSDs) and healthy controls. Secondary aims investigated the relationship between schema permeability and charge and whether it is mediated by the presence of cognitive biases. This study used a case-control experimental design consisting of two experimental situations designed to increase and decrease the activation of maladaptive cognitive schemas and biases. The experimental manipulation was a computerized game of toss called Cyberball. Two versions of Cyberball were used. Participants first participated in an exclusion version of Cyberball (i.e., excluded after two tosses) followed by an inclusion version of Cyberball (i.e., provided an explanation and included in each round of toss). Measures were conducted prior to the exclusion version, between the exclusion and inclusion version, and the post-inclusion version. Measures included the Brief Core Schema Scale (negative self and other subscales), the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS) and the Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence (BADE) task. Group differences across the three different time points were investigated using ten mixed methods 2X2 ANOVAs, and eight mediations were used to investigate relationships between schema charge, permeability, and cognitive biases. Seventeen individuals with SSDs and 16 controls completed the experimental visit to date. Interim analyses show that individuals with SSDs endorsed stronger negative schemas (other schemas h² = .20, p = .009, self-schemas h² = .19, p = .013) and self-reported cognitive biases (DACOBS h² = .197, p = .01) than controls across experimental conditions, and no significant interactions with Cyberball conditions were found. The BADE did not show significant differences between groups. The BADE significantly mediated the relationship between schema charge and schema permeability (b = .13, CI [.02, .29]). No other mediation models were significant. Results of this study suggest that cognitive schemas and biases can be successfully manipulated in brief periods using stressful stimuli, which has important implications for future study design. Further, overall results support the cognitive theory that negative cognitive schemas are more activated in individuals with SSDs and have important relationships with cognitive biases. Results should be interpreted with consideration of our small sample size. Larger longitudinal trials using other clinical comparison groups are required to elucidate these relationships further.