Metacognition and Social Cognition in Schizophrenia: Stability and Relationship to Concurrent and Prospective Symptom Assessments

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia has been linked with deficits in the ability to form complex representations about oneself and others. Less clear is whether these deficits are stable over time, and whether they are related to symptoms. METHOD: We assessed metacognition capacity, affect recognition, executive function, and symptoms at baseline and 6 months later for 49 adults with schizophrenia. RESULTS: Paired t tests revealed assessments of metacognition and affect recognition were stable across measurements points. Metacognition was related to concurrent assessments of positive, negative and disorganized symptoms. Multiple regressions revealed metacognition was related to prospective assessments of negative symptoms after controlling for baseline negative symptoms and executive function. CONCLUSIONS: Metacognitive deficits are a stable feature of schizophrenia related with negative symptoms.