Schizotypal Ambivalence is Associated with Schizophrenia-Spectrum and Borderline Personality Traits in Young Adults: Converging Results from Three Interview Studies

Ambivalence has a longstanding history in schizophrenia-spectrum and borderline personality psychopathology, although it has been largely overlooked in current psychopathology research. The Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale (SAS) provides a brief, psychometrically sound questionnaire for assessing ambivalence characteristic of the schizotypy spectrum. We conducted three interview studies examining associations of the SAS with impairment, schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology, borderline personality disorder, and mood disorders in independent samples of young adults (n's = 57, 151, 162). Despite being conducted in different regions with differing designs, results showed good convergence across the three studies. SAS scores were robustly associated with impairment, schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology and personality traits, and borderline personality traits (typically medium effects). Furthermore, significant associations of the SAS with the interview-outcome measures remained after partialling variance associated with neuroticism. The results support the construct validity of schizotypal ambivalence and the SAS. Recommendations for future study are provided.