Relations among Chronicity, Diagnosis, Premorbid Adjustment, Defensiveness and Two Measures of Perceptual Scanning

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Abstract
The attention style of perceptual scanning has been related to the variables of chronicity, diagnosis, and premorbid adjustment. In addition, a functional defensive significance has been attributed to scanning. However, recent research has questioned the adequacy of the standard size-estimation task employed as a scanning measure. The current study explored relations among chronicity, diagnosis, premorbid adjustment, impulsivity and defensiveness, using eye movements and performance on a task with central and peripheral elements as scanning measures. Neither impulsivity nor premorbid adjustment was related to either scanning measure. Chronicity, diagnosis and defensiveness were related to the latter scanning measure. High chronicity and high defensiveness were associated with lower scanning. Regarding diagnosis, paranoids showed higher scanning than neurotics but did not differ significantly from nonparanoid schizophrenics. Problems of scanning assessment are discussed.