Objective: This study investigates the associations between eye
movement patterns, visual contour integration, social cognitive abilities,
and symptom severity in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Method: The study included 40 clinically stable patients with
schizophrenia. Eye movements were recorded using an eye-tracking
system during a free-viewing paradigm. Visual integration was evaluated
with the Jittered Orientation Visual Integration (JOVI) task, while
social cognition was assessed using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes
Test and the Hinting Task. Symptom severity was measured with the
PANSS. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and
repeated measures analysis of variance.
Results: Positive symptom severity was positively correlated with
increased fixation counts and faster path velocity in social contexts.
Conversely, social cognition was negatively correlated with fixation
duration and saccadic velocity during face exploration. Participants
exhibited significantly lower fixation counts when viewing socially
relevant images. Additionally, shorter saccade length and slower path
velocity were observed during face viewing. However, no significant
relationship was found between eye movements and contour integration.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that eye movement characteristics
in schizophrenia may be significantly associated with social cognition
and symptom severity. Although causal inferences cannot be drawn due
to the cross-sectional design, the findings help clarify inconsistencies
in the literature and partially address gaps regarding eye movement
research. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights for the
development of eye movement–based assessment and intervention
approaches in clinical practice.
Keywords: Eye tracking, schizophrenia, social cognition, visual
integration