Use of Barcelona Test for cognitive assessment of patients with schizophrenia

In recent years different neuropsychological batteries have been developed to assess cognitive performance in schizophrenia. However, no test has been validated in Spanish for this purpose. The Barcelona Test has been one of the tests used. This present article has aimed to present a specific neurocognitive battery for schizophrenia by selecting specific subtests from the Barcelona Test. Normative data for patients with schizophrenia are presented and the influence of a number of variables is taken into account.

The sample included 209 patients. The relationship between cognitive performance and gender, age, educational level, age of onset, duration of illness and symptomatology were assessed. Symptomatology was collected with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia.

More of the 50% of the sample had cognitive impairment when compared with standardized percentile scores of the Barcelona Test. No significant relationships between cognitive performance and variables assessed were found, except for in the educational level. Thus, percentile scores for the total sample and for the sample in terms of educational level were obtained.

The high percentage of patients with cognitive impairment when standardized percentile scores were used reinforces the need to use normative data appropriate for the schizophrenia group. The lack of relationship between cognitive performance and the variables assessed supports the hypothesis that cognitive impairment is a core feature in schizophrenia.