Negative symptoms and social skills performance in schizophrenia.
The present study aimed to determine whether the negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia were better predictors of social competence than a range of other variables pertaining to demographics, illness, hospitalization, and premorbid functioning. Independent raters assessed social skills performance on a video-taped role-play test and 5 min conversation in 53 inpatients with a DSM-III diagnosis of schizophrenia. Patients' social skills were also assessed by ward nurses. Project clinicians assessed depression, medication side effects and positive and negative symptoms. Multiple-regression analyses demonstrated that, generally, negative symptoms were the best predictors of social skills performance.
Jackson
H J
HJ
National Health and Medical Research Council Schizophrenia Research Unit, Royal Park Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
Minas
I H
IH
Burgess
P M
PM
Joshua
S D
SD
Charisiou
J
J
Campbell
I M
IM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012381:Role Playing; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D014705:Verbal Behavior