Understanding Interpersonal Functioning in Persistent Psychosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The relationship between social cognition, negative symptoms and interpersonal functioning in persistent psychosis
IRAS ID
248610
Contact name
Hamish McLeod
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
Individuals with schizophrenia often have significant difficulties with interpersonal functioning which impacts on recovery. Interpersonal functioning is known to be worse for people with greater cognitive difficulties (e.g. memory, processing speed) and worse for those with greater social cognitive deficits (the ability to interpret and understand another’s emotions and intentions). It is unclear precisely how social cognition might be related to interpersonal functioning. One hypothesis is that negative symptoms (lack of motivation/enjoyment and lack of emotional expression) might be part of this pathway. Understanding how social cognition, negative symptoms, and interpersonal functioning relate to one another will help to identify treatment targets.
The present study aims to answer the following questions:
• Do individuals with greater social cognitive difficulties have worse interpersonal functioning and worse negative symptoms?
• Do individuals with worse negative symptoms have worse interpersonal functioning?
• DO negative symptoms levels explain the relationship between social cognition and interpersonal functioning?Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses who are currently inpatient in NHS GGC Rehabilitation wards aged between 18-65 will be eligible for participation. People with a history of head injury resulting in hospital admission, learning disability or who lack capacity to consent will be excluded.
Participants will be asked to attend a single testing session to complete a range of questionnaires and a battery of neurocognition and social cognition tests. These are paper and pencil tasks or involve watching short video clips depicting social behaviour. The appointment will last between 90 mintues and 2 hours with breaks provided as required. A clinician who knows the person will also be asked to complete an objective rating of the participants interpersonal functioning, supplemented with information from the clinical information.Statistical relationships between measures of social cognition, negative symptoms and interpersonal functioning will be explored.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
19/ES/0006
Date of REC Opinion
26 Feb 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion