title: Application of the Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen and its relation to functioning in schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the ability of the Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen (ARCS) to detect cognitive deficit in individuals with schizophrenia, relative to the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and explored the associations between the ARCS and functional outcomes. We hypothesised that the ARCS would be able to better discriminate between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls than the MMSE, and that ARCS performance would be correlated with measures of social and vocational functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were 19 community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 19 healthy controls recruited from the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB). Participants completed the ARCS, MMSE, and self-report measures of social and vocational functioning. Clinical and diagnostic data stored by the ASRB were also utilised.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The schizophrenia group performed worse than the control group on the ARCS, with memory, t(36)=2.49, p=0.02, 95% CI [-1.84, -18.79] and fluency, t(36)=2.40, p=0.02, 95% CI [-1.87, -22.24] domains being the main discriminating measures. The RBANS also discriminated between the two groups, and ARCS and RBANS total scores were moderately to strongly correlated. There was no difference between the two groups on the MMSE after controlling for demographic variables. ARCS performance was associated with employment status [χ2(1)=7.16, p=0.007].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ARCS may be sensitive to the cognitive deficits in outpatients with schizophrenia and an indicator of functional outcomes in this population.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Psychology,University of Newcastle,Newcastle,NSW,Australia.
authors.forename: Brooke M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gelder
authors.affiliation: 2Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health,Hunter New England Mental Health,University of Newcastle,Newcastle,NSW,Australia.
authors.forename: Carmel M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Loughland
authors.affiliation: 3School of Psychiatry,University of New South Wales,Sydney,Australia.
authors.forename: Vaughan J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: 2Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health,Hunter New England Mental Health,University of Newcastle,Newcastle,NSW,Australia.
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Schofield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
keywords: cognition; memory; psychosis; schizophrenia