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Social functioning as an outcome measure in schizophrenia studies
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. tom.burns@psych.ox.ac.uk
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|October 19, 2007
Summary
Social functioning deficits are key in schizophrenia. Current measurement scales lack consensus and psychometric data, highlighting a need for standardized tools like the Personal and Social Performance Scale for research.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Social functioning deficits represent a core symptom in schizophrenia.
- Accurate assessment of social functioning is crucial for treatment evaluation.
- Existing measurement tools show significant variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify frequently used scales for assessing social functioning in schizophrenia.
- To determine the most common scales employed in antipsychotic randomized controlled trials.
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of these scales.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a literature search of English articles (1990-2006) for social functioning scales in schizophrenia.
- Identified scales used in randomized controlled trials of antipsychotics.
- Performed a separate search for psychometric data without time limits.
Main Results:
- 301 articles utilized social functioning scales, identifying 87 potential measures.
- Only 14 randomized controlled trials focused on social functioning with antipsychotics.
- Significant variation exists in scale methodology, domain coverage, and scoring, with limited psychometric data.
Conclusions:
- There is a lack of consensus regarding the definition and measurement of social functioning in schizophrenia.
- The Personal and Social Performance Scale is recommended as a valuable instrument for future research in this area.
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