108 Chapter 6 RAS score for analyses in patients, but excluded the last subscale ‘no domination by symptoms’ from the total score for the sibling and control group as this domain was considered inapplicable to these groups (23). We selected the following sociodemographic variables, illness variables, resilience and support variables from GROUP. Sociodemographic and illness variables Several sociodemographic factors have been collected: age, gender, ethnicity, relationship and employment status, and IQ. The following illness variables were assessed: diagnosis, illness duration, age of onset, hospitalization in the past 3 years, current antipsychotic and cannabis use, and symptoms. The Dutch version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) (26) was used to assess self-reported (subclinical) positive, negative and depressive symptoms in patients, siblings and healthy controls. Participants answered 42 items on a 4-point Likert scale (0; never to 3; nearly always) regarding the presence of symptoms and related experienced distress over the last 3 years. The present study used frequency scores as outcome measures. The CAPE proved to be reliable, valid and stable in the general population (27). Resilience Resilience was assessed by measuring coping strategies, using the Dutch questionnaire Utrechtse Coping Lijst (UCL) (28). This instrument consists of 47 selfreport items on a 4-point Likert scale (0; hardly or never, 3; very often). The items are divided over seven subscales, three of which can be regarded as functional coping mechanisms; these three were included in the current study. The subscales active approach, seeking social support, and reassuring/calming thoughts contain functional coping mechanisms. Studies have shown that the reliability and validity are satisfactory (29). Furthermore, schemas were measured with the Brief Core Schema Scales (BCSS) (30). Twenty-four items concerning attitudes towards oneself and others were assessed both dichotomous (0; no, 1; yes) and on a 4-point Likert scale (1; slightly agree, 4; totally agree) if the participant agreed with the statement. This instrument measures schemas of participants on four subscales: positive self, positive other, negative self, and negative other. In the current study, positive self and positive other were included. According to Fowler et al. (2006), the BCSS has good psychometric properties. Social functioning Social functioning was assessed using the self-report Social Functioning Scale (SFS) (31) over the past three months, in seven subscales, namely withdrawal,
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