Unitary construct of generalized cognitive ability underlying BACS performance across psychotic disorders and in their first-degree relatives.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Despite robust evidence of neurocognitive dysfunction in psychotic patients, the degree of similarity in cognitive architecture across psychotic disorders and among their respective first-degree relatives is not well delineated. The present study examined the latent factor structure of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) neuropsychological battery. Analyses were conducted on 783 psychosis spectrum probands (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, psychotic bipolar), 887 of their first-degree relatives, and 396 non-psychiatric controls from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) consortium. Exploratory factor analysis of BACS subtest scores indicated a single-factor solution that was similar across all groups and provided the best overall data fit in confirmatory analyses. Correlations between the standard BACS composite score and the sum of subscale scores weighted by their loadings on this unitary factor were very high in all groups (r≥.99). Thus, the BACS assesses a similar unitary cognitive construct in probands with different psychotic disorders, in their first-degree relatives, and in healthy controls, and this factor is well measured by the test's standard composite score.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Hochberger, WC; Hill, SK; Nelson, CLM; Reilly, JL; Keefe, RSE; Pearlson, GD; Keshavan, MS; Tamminga, CA; Clementz, BA; Sweeney, JA

Published Date

  • January 2016

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 170 / 1

Start / End Page

  • 156 - 161

PubMed ID

  • 26645510

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC5226655

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1573-2509

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.schres.2015.11.022

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • Netherlands