Cross Ethnic Study of Sociocentricity in Schizophrenia

Barrio, Concepcion

Abstract

The broad purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the role of culture in cross-ethnic symptom differences in schizophrenia. More specifically this study will examine the nature and influence of the cultural construct of sociocentricity over time among three ethnic groups of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The specific aim of this research is to answer the following questions: 1) What is the mediating influence of sociocentricity on cross-ethnic symptom difference over time? 2) Does participation in psychosocial rehabilitation have an influence on the mediational model over time? 3) How static or dynamic is sociocentricity over time? And 4) Does participation in psychosocial rehabilitation influence he level of sociocentricity? Analyses will be conducted on data from a longitudinal quasi- experimental research project that compared and evaluated the impact of three models of community based care and rehabilitation for persons with schizophrenia. The sample includes 164 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia consisting of ethnic minority (African American and Latino) groups and a non-minority (White) group individuals were followed in or out of treatment conditions and interviewed at baseline and at every six months over a three year period. A mediational model as advocated by Baron and Kenny (1986) will be used to test the cross ethnic mediation influence of sociocentric indicators among symptom variable at every time point. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM; Bryk, et al., 1994) will be used to examine the change curve of sociocentricity in relation to ethnic group and psychosocial rehabilitation treatment covariates. Cross-ethnic studies on schizophrenia that examine culture longitudinally have not been done. This study will be the first longitudinal research to examine a cultural construct in relation to cross-ethnic symptom differences in schizophrenia. The results of this study will enhance the field's knowledge of sociocentricity as a cultural construct and its relationship to the expression and treatment of schizophrenia. This research will have implications for the incorporation of culture in treatment approaches with this population, and for research of culturally relevant services.