Negative symptoms in schizophrenia are present both in behavior and in the subjective experiences of the patients. However the latter are not represented in most rating instruments.

To review assessment methods for the subjective experiences of primary negative and related symptoms in schizophrenia.

Literature review and comparison of negative symptoms as judged by the rater with reports of self experiences.

The Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) is an instrument concerning the positive-negative distinction in schizophrenia. The SANS is based on the judgment of the rater about the behavior of the patient. Items reflecting subjective experiences of the patients were initially included in the SANS, buy they were not significantly correlated with the behavioral items, and were therefore excluded from this scale by its author.

Huber's group emphasized subjective experiences in schizophrenia. According to this concept the lack of behavioral negative symptoms does not exclude subjective experiences of deficiencies (part of „basic symptoms”, „pure defect”). Nineteen such symptoms were included in the Subjective Deficit Syndrome Scale (SDSS).

We compared negatives symptoms measured by SANS with the corresponding subjective experiences measured by SDSS in patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (n = 122).

D2 receptor occupancy during antipsychotic treatment was found to be associated with subjective experiences/well being, which can be assessed with specific rating scales (e.g.: Drug Attitude Inventory and Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptic Treatment).

Behavioral symptoms and the subjective experiences of the negative syndrome are not correlated with each other.