Comparing the Stroop Effect in Schizophrenic and Major Depression Patients with Normal Individual

The aim of present study was to compare between patients with schizophrenia, major depression and normal participants in congruent and incongruent measures of Stroop task. Using randomized convenience sampling and DSM-IV-TR diagnostic interview 36 person (n=12) selected and Stroop computerized test were administered on all subjects. Both congruent and incongruent measures of reaction time as research data were analyzed with GLM: One-way ANOVA statistical analysis. Results showed significant differences in incongruent tasks measures for schizophrenic and depressed patients rather than normal groups, whereas no effect was found in congruent reactions. Further no significant effect was evident between two groups of depressed and schizophrenic patients in both congruent and none-congruent reaction time measures. It was concluded that schizophrenia and depression in common may share a selective attention problem rather than normal people which may convey a diagnostic value in etiology of two illnesses.