Executively-mediated language skills are related to performance-based social functioning in the early psychosis spectrum

Abstract

Social impairment is a core deficit in psychotic spectrum disorders (PSDs). Prior work shows that language abnormalities can predict psychosis onset and are related to social outcomes in PSDs. Few studies have investigated nuanced relationships between language/verbal abilities and social functioning in the early psychosis spectrum, including at-risk (schizotypy) and first episode of psychosis (FEP) individuals. This study aimed to examine the relationship to between language/verbal performance and performance-based and examiner-rated social functioning. We also aimed to replicate prior models that demonstrate neurocognition is related to social functioning through negative symptoms and social cognition. Low schizotypy (n = 42), high schizotypy (n = 44), and FEP (n = 15) participants completed a battery of language/verbal, social cognition, and social functioning measures. Regression analyses revealed that Proverb Test performance was uniquely and significantly associated with performance-based but not examiner-rated social functioning. Other language/verbal measures were not significantly related to social functioning. In mediational analyses, language/verbal performance was indirectly related to social functioning through negative traits, and also through social cognition. Findings extend support for negative symptom and social cognitive intervention in the early psychosis spectrum, and uniquely suggest that executively-mediated language skills may be an additional target to improve social functioning.