Treatment of social cognition in schizophrenia: Current status and future directions

Efforts to develop psychosocial interventions that specifically target social cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders began nearly two decades ago. The field has matured considerably since then and has engendered a great deal of optimism about this treatment approach. Indeed, the efficacy of social cognitive interventions, especially those that address multiple domains of social cognition, has received substantial support. This article critically evaluates the current evidence for social cognitive interventions, identifies limitations and open questions, and suggests priorities and directions for further research. Limitations of available studies include a frequent lack of methodological rigor, suboptimal selection of endpoints, and sparse evidence for generalization to functional improvements. We highlight several emerging psychosocial and non-psychosocial approaches that may enhance the efficacy of social cognitive interventions and promote generalization to improvements in real world functioning. We conclude that cautious optimism is warranted as the field moves forward into the next wave of social cognitive treatment studies.