Neurocognitive and social functioning in schizophrenia: a 2.5 year follow-up study

In our previous study we demonstrated that, in 80 schizophrenia subjects, verbal ability, verbal memory and executive functioning were significantly associated with social problem solving. The objective of this present study was to assess the longitudinal stability of the relationship between social and neurocognitive functioning in schizophrenia. This 2.5 year longitudinal cohort study re-assessed community functioning, social problem solving and symptoms in 65 of the 80 original subjects to determine the predictive ability of neurocognitive functioning. Neurocognition was not re-assessed at this follow-up. Positive and negative symptoms were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Social functioning was assessed using the Social Functioning Scale, the Quality of Life Scale, and the Assessment of Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills (AIPSS). Verbal ability, verbal memory and vigilance were significant predictors of social problem solving as assessed by the AIPSS. Results suggest that the association between neurocognition and social functioning remains consistent over time.