Schizophrenia is one of the most severe and persistent of the mental illnesses. While schizophrenia is usually diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 30, many mental health professionals believe that the factors causing it are present since birth. In my research, I identify risk factors, which increase the likelihood of the later development of the disorder, and precursors, which are signs that appear before the full-blown disorder. I accomplish this by studying schizophrenia in patients at various stages in their illness as well as studying individuals at risk for it.
About the scholar
Diane C. Gooding is a professor in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on schizophrenia and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Her studies include biological bases and early identification and development of psychotic disorders. Students working with her are taught psychophysiological, neurophysiological and clinical assessment techniques.
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People at risk for schizophrenia are identified in various ways: Are they related genetically to someone with schizophrenia; do they share a relatively infrequent biological or personality characteristic as someone with schizophrenia; or do they display a clinical symptom as someone diagnosed with schizophrenia?
My lab is an extension of my classroom, so I include both undergraduates and graduate students in my ongoing quest to uncover how schizophrenia develops.
One risk factor I’ve identified is social anhedonia, which is when a person doesn’t experience pleasure from social interactions.
Social anhedonia can be detected using questionnaires, enabling me to study it in college students, community samples, patient groups and cross-culturally.
I developed a new scale known as the ACIPS, with child, adolescent and adult versions.
This is exciting because until now, there has not been a way to measure social anhedonia in youths. And it is important, because the earlier we can detect risk factors, the sooner we can intervene and help prevent further decline.
This essay originally appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal’s Fueling Discovery section on May 4, 2020. Fueling Discovery is a special partnership between the Wisconsin State Journal and the College of Letters & Science.