Self-reported social functioning among older patients with schizophrenia

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Social Science

Background:

• Schizophrenia impacts social functioning across the lifespan.
• Assessing social adjustment in older adults with schizophrenia is crucial for treatment outcomes.
• Validated self-report measures are needed for evaluating psychosocial interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of a self-report social functioning measure in older schizophrenia patients.
• To determine if the modified Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-M) is a valid outcome measure.
• To explore the relationship between social functioning, symptom severity, and cognitive status.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-five schizophrenia patients and 39 healthy controls (aged 45-81) were evaluated.
• Utilized the modified Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-M), symptom scales, cognitive assessments, and social support measures.
• Compared social role engagement and functioning domains between patients and controls.

Main Results:

• Schizophrenia patients showed significantly lower engagement in social roles (marital, parental, occupational) compared to controls.
• Patients exhibited greater impairment in social/leisure, extended family, and marital functioning.
• Impaired functioning correlated with symptom severity, but not cognitive impairment or background factors.

Conclusions:

• The SAS-M is a valuable tool for assessing social functioning in older adults with schizophrenia.
• Self-reported social functioning may not fully capture external perceptions of adjustment.
• Further research should explore discrepancies between self- and other-perceptions of functioning.