Social Cognition and Social Inclusion in Young People With First-Episode Psychosis: A Brief Report

First-episode psychosis (FEP) is a disabling illness associated with poor social inclusion, a critical determinant of mental health. Social cognitive impairment, a core feature of psychosis, may have implications for social inclusion.

This cross-sectional study investigated relationships between social inclusion and social cognition in 56 young people with FEP (aged 16-25, M = 20.4; SD = 2.8 years) receiving treatment at Orygen's Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Social inclusion was assessed alongside social cognition (domains including theory of mind, emotion recognition, social perception and attributional bias), and psychopathology.

Social inclusion was significantly lower when compared to data from a same-aged non-clinical sample (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis found no significant associations between social cognition and social inclusion (all p > 0.05).

Findings highlight social challenges experienced in early psychosis, particularly building and maintaining relationships. Future research should examine how interventions targeting broader social and functional factors might enhance social inclusion in early psychosis.