The aim of the present study was to explore the stability of
anhedonia and its relationships with
schizophrenic symptoms across a 13-year study period. We tested the hypothesis that trait
anhedonia, rated by the Physical
Anhedonia Scale (PAS), was stable and independent of
schizophrenic symptoms across this period, while measures of state
anhedonia were not. Sixty
schizophrenic subjects were evaluated at two time points, at hospital admission or during an ambulatory
psychiatric consultation and 13 years later. Trait
anhedonia was assessed using the Chapman Physical
Anhedonia Scale, while state
anhedonia was assessed with a subscale extracted from
the Beck Depression Inventory. The Positive and Negative
Syndrome Scale (
PANSS) was used to rate
schizophrenic symptomatology. Unlike trait
anhedonia, state
anhedonia decreased significantly over time. Based on results from
multiple regressions, negative and
depressive dimensions were significant predictors of state
anhedonia. Trait
anhedonia was not associated with
negative symptoms, but was associated with severity of disorganization
symptoms at baseline and with our state measure of
anhedonia at follow-up. In the current study, state and trait
anhedonia were
correlated, but
depressive symptoms in general were not associated with physical
anhedonia. The results indicated that trait
anhedonia, in contrast to state
anhedonia, had absolute stability, was independent of the negative dimension, as measured by the
PANSS, of
schizophrenic symptomatology and
correlated with specific aspects of
depressive anhedonia.
