Social Support-Centered Versus Symptom-Centered Models in Predicting Functional Outcomes for Individuals with...

This study tests 2 competing models to explore the influence of symptomatology and social support on functioning for individuals with schizophrenia. The social support-centered model hypothesizes that symptoms have an indirect association with functioning through social support. The symptom-centered model hypothesizes that social support has an indirect association with functioning through symptoms.

These models were examined using 166 individuals with schizophrenia receiving community-based services.

For social functioning, the social support-centered model is an adequate fit to the data (χ² = 0.316, df = 2, p = .854; CFI = 1.000, NFI = .990, AIC = 24.316, RMSEA = .000); however, the symptom-centered model is a poor fit to the data (χ² = 15.597, df = 3, p = .001; CFI = .772, NFI = .718, AIC = 37.597, RMSEA = .160). For instrumental functioning, the symptom-centered model is an adequate fit to the data (χ² = 2.265, df =3, p = .519; CFI = .1.000, NFI = .959, AIC = 22.265, RMSEA = .000), but the social support-centered model is a poor fit to the data (χ² = 21.585, df = 2,p = .000; CFI = .147, NFI = .345, AIC = 45.585, RMSEA = .244).

Overall, the findings suggest that models for understanding functioning and interventions in schizophrenia need to be differentially focused, depending on the targeted outcome. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.