Predicting Social Motivation and Interactions in Schizophrenia: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Researchers have studied mechanisms underlying social motivation in schizophrenia, including reward learning, hostile attribution bias, and defeatist performance beliefs. Yet, existing work is limited by the use of laboratory paradigms and/or trait-level measures.

This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to determine factors that influence daily social motivation. Eighty-two Veterans with psychosis completed four electronic surveys per day for one week. Social activity, including appraisals of interactions, experienced enjoyment, and desire for future socialization, was collected.

Increases in social rewards and performance appraisals predicted desire for social interactions, but did not predict the number of subsequent interactions. Hostile attributions were not associated with desire nor subsequent interactions.

Results support the value of EMA to measure state-level changes in motivation and suggest positive experiences and performance appraisals are important, malleable determinants of social motivation. Yet, these factors may not entirely determine future social behavior. Other influences should be considered.