Symptoms of schizophrenia and social cognition

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between deficits in social cognition and the dimensional descriptors for schizophrenia. Social cognitive functioning was measured using patient narratives describing card arrangements using the picture arrangement subtest of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised. Stories were rated for number of normative themes, number of words, coherence, plausibility of attributions of emotions, and plausibility of attributions of intentions. Symptoms of Psychoticism were positively related to all ratings except of the plausibility of attributions of intentions. Ratings of story coherence, number of normative ideas, plausibility of attributions of intentions, and plausibility of attributions of emotions were negatively related to symptoms of disorganization. There was a negative relationship between negative symptoms and all rating categories except story coherence. Results indicate that it could be productive to attempt to tailor psychosocial interventions to the dominant symptom picture of patients with schizophrenia in order to improve aspects of social cognitive functioning.