title: Emotion perception and learning potential: mediators between neurocognition and social problem-solving in schizophrenia?
abstract: Social cognition and learning potential have been proposed as mediating variables between neurocognition and functional outcome in schizophrenia. The present study examined this relation in a schizophrenia group (N = 26) with normal IQ. Neurocognition was measured with a composite score from tests of verbal learning, psychomotor speed, and executive functioning. Functional outcome was defined as social problem-solving skills and assessed with a role-play test. Social cognition was indexed by tests of visual and auditory emotion perception; and learning potential by estimating a gain score using a triple administration of the WCST. Neurocognition was confirmed to be a strong predictor of social problem-solving, and emotion perception was related to both neurocognition and social problem-solving. When controlling for emotion perception, the association between neurocognition and social problem-solving was weakened, implying a mediating role of emotion perception. Learning potential was not significantly related to neurocognition or social problem-solving, and thus not found to mediate the studied relation. In conclusion, our study indicates that emotion perception is a mediator between neurocognition and functional outcome as assessed with a social problem-solving task and thus a key factor in understanding functional outcome of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. anja.vaskinn@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaskinn
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundet
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: Astrid B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Birkenaes
authors.forename: Halldora
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jónsdóttir
authors.forename: Petter Andreas
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ringen
authors.forename: Ole A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Andreassen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013223:Statistics as Topic