title: Metacognition in schizophrenia and schizotypy: relation to symptoms of schizophrenia, traits of schizotypy and Social Quality of Life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study examined a mediation model in which symptoms of schizophrenia and schizotypy traits mediate the positive relations between metacognition and Social Quality of Life (SQoL) among persons with schizophrenia and persons without mental illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  39 persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and 60 persons without a severe mental illness diagnosis participated in this study. Instruments included the Metacognition Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A), the SQoL scale of the QLI-MH, the PANSS scale and the O-LIFE self-report questionnaire that assesses schizotypy traits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Persons with schizophrenia exhibit lower SQoL and metacognitive abilities than persons without mental illness. For persons with schizophrenia, negative symptoms mediate the positive relation between the ability to understand other persons' minds and SQoL. However, although for persons without mental illness, understanding other minds was found to correlate negatively with introvertive anhedonia and SQoL, a mediation model was not confirmed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding of others' minds seems relevant to the SQoL for both samples. In addition, negative symptoms of schizophrenia and introvertive anedonia traits are also related to SQoL among persons with schizophrenia and among persons without mental illness respectively. The lack of support for a mediation model for persons without mental illness is consistent with the theories that claim schizotypy is not a mirror image of schizophrenia and, therefore, may not necessarily lead to schizophrenia. Limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Shai Joseph
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rabin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Ilanit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hasson-Ohayon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Moran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avidan
authors.affiliation: Day Care and Rehabilitation Unit, Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, Beer Yaakov, Israel.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rozencwaig
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Hadar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kravetz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059445:Anhedonia / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012649:Self Concept; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult