Stepanova E.V., Pyrkova K.V. The Relationship between Cognitive Distortions and Disturbance of the Generalization Process in Women with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Among the main manifestations of the schizophrenic symptom complex, a distinct position is held by the deviation of the operational component of thinking, specifically in the form of a disturbance of the generalization process – a tendency to form conclusions based on minor, incidental features. Within the tradition of Russian psychology, this phenomenon is regarded as a diagnostic criterion; however, its conceptual scope is largely confined to the context of the pathopsychological experiment. Contemporary evidence indicates the presence of anomalies in social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: impairments in information processing affect the social context, transforming into cognitive distortions and biases that lead to problems in interpersonal functioning. Among the mechanisms underlying these cognitive distortions and biases, aberrant salience is frequently discussed, which bears a striking resemblance to disturbance of the generalization process, namely the tendency to attribute significance to irrelevant features. This article examines the cognitive distortions characteristic of schizophrenia spectrum individuals through the lens of Russian pathopsychology, specifically in the context of exploring their relationship with disturbance of the generalization process.

The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between disturbance of the generalization process and cognitive distortions in women with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

The study involved 119 female participants aged 16 to 35, including 59 diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: 18 with schizophrenia, 24 with schizotypal disorder, and 17 with schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive distortions were assessed using A. Freeman’s “Cognitive Errors Questionnaire”, adapted by A. Bobrov and E. Faizrakhmanova. Disturbance of the generalization process was evaluated using the pathopsychological “The Object Exclusion Test”.

The results demonstrated that women with schizophrenia spectrum disorders exhibit a correlation between disturbance of the generalization process and several cognitive distortions.

The findings provide a novel perspective on disturbance of the generalization process, extending their implications to social cognition. The results align with the concept of aberrant salience and contribute to understanding of social cognitive mechanisms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Key words: cognitive distortion, cognitive bias, aberrant salience, disturbance of the generalization process, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder, schizoaffective disorder

For citation: Stepanova, E.V., Pyrkova, K.V. (2025). The Relationship between Cognitive Distortions and Disturbance of the Generalization Process in Women with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders. New Psychological Research, No. 4, 141–156. DOI: 10.51217/npsyresearch_2025_05_04_07