정신분열병 환자에서의 흡연과 새로운 것을 추구하는 경향： 여성 정신분열병 환자에서 흡연군과 비흡연군과의 비교 연구

Cigarette Smoking and Novelty Seeking in Patients with Schizophrenia： Comparing Smoking Group with Nonsmoking Group in Female Patients with Schizophrenia

Objectives：Individuals with schizophrenia in particular have extremely high rates of smoking. In addition, cigarette smoking affects symptoms and courses of schizophrenia per se in several aspects. This study compared the biogenic temperament related cigarette smoking behavior between smoking- and nonsmokingschizophrenics. Methods：Twenty-two female smoking-schizophrenics (experimental group) and 22 female nonsmoking-schizophrenics (control group) were recruited into this study. All subjects completed the temperament dimension of Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Independent t-test was used to compare the temperament dimension scores of TCI between the two groups. Results：There was no significant difference in baseline demographic and clinical variables between two groups. Novelty Seeking scale score was significantly higher in the experimental group compared with that in the control group. Conclusion：The results of this study suggest that cigarette smoking in patients with schizophrenia is related to the Novelty Seeking tendency, which is thought to be common characteristics in developing substance abuse including alcohol and cocaine in patients with schizophrenia. Further study with age- and intelligence-matched control group would be necessary.