Defeatist performance beliefs in a sample of individuals with persistent negative symptoms

Objective
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia, in particular motivational deficits, have showed to be linked to dysfunctional attitudes, such as defeatist performance beliefs. This relationship has been found in various types of samples but has not been investigated in samples of individuals presenting persistent negative symptoms (PNS). The present study aimed to assess the relationship between defeatist performance beliefs and negative symptoms in a sample of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and PNS. Another objective was to evaluate the link between change in defeatist beliefs and change in negative symptoms, before and after psychosocial intervention.
Methods
Fifty-one participants diagnosed with schizophrenia and PNS followed 9 months of Motivation and Engagement Training. They were assessed before and after the intervention using the Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA), the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS), the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS), and de the Defeatist Performance Beliefs scale.
Results
At baseline, defeatist performance beliefs were not significantly associated with negative symptoms, except with the motivation factor of the BNSS, but only at the trend level. However, change in defeatist beliefs was moderately correlated with change in motivation, as measured with the BNSS, but not with the other measures.
Conclusion
These results underlie the necessity of broadening the targets of psychosocial interventions to factors related to negative symptoms other than dysfunctional attitudes.