Social inference in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis

Social cognition impairment is a hallmark of schizophrenia and contains multiple domains. The domain of social inference has been relatively understudied in schizophrenia and its risk states.

Social inference was assessed in 60 clinical high-risk (CHR) patients and 28 healthy control subjects, using the video social inference task. We hypothesized a deficit in social inference in CHR participants and examined predictive value for psychosis transition.

Social inference was positively associated with increasing age. Social inference did not differ significantly between CHR patients and controls, or predict transition to psychosis.

Few studies have examined social inference of individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, and findings have been inconclusive. Additional studies using a variety of measures of social inference in CHR participants are recommended.