The Study of Sensory and Semantic Information Processing in People with Schizophrenia and Major Depression

The purpose of this study was to compare sensory and semantic information processing in three groups of people with schizophrenia people with major depression and normal groups. In an exposit facto design 30 people of each group were selected randomly. After psychiatric diagnosis, three groups were tested by adult sensory profile and azgod deferential test.  The results of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that there are significant difference between three groups in low registration, sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding (p<0/01, p<0/01 and p<0/03 respectively). But there was not significant difference between groups in sensation seeking. In semantic processing, there was significant difference among three groups in appraisal, potency and activity components (p<0/001, p<0/001 and p<0/002 respectively). But in the danger component, there was not significant difference among groups. Additionally, there was not significant difference between patient with schizophrenia and major depression in any components of sensory and semantic information processing. As a result, in comparing with normal group, patient with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder process sensory and semantic data differently. Thus, low registration, sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding are common factors in psychopathology realem. Furthermore, appraisal, potency and activity components are poor in clinical population.