title: Clinical symptoms predict concurrent social and global functioning in an early psychosis sample.
abstract: Although well established in chronic schizophrenia, the key determinants of functioning remain unknown during the early phase of a psychotic disorder. The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine the social cognitive, basic neurocognitive and clinical predictors of concurrent social functioning and global functioning in an early psychosis sample.
  
  
  
  This study examined the relationship between social cognition, basic neurocognition and clinical symptoms with concurrent functioning in 51 early psychosis individuals. Assessments included a range of self-report, observational and clinician-rated measures of cognitive, symptom severity and functioning domains.
  
  
  
  Results revealed a significant association between self-reported social function and lower levels of both social interaction anxiety and negative psychotic symptoms. A significant association was also observed between lower levels of negative psychotic symptoms and observed social functioning. Lastly, results demonstrated a significant association between reduced negative psychotic symptoms and clinician-rated global functioning.
  
  
  
  Clinical domains such as negative symptoms and social interaction anxiety significantly contribute to an optimal model predicting outcome during the early phase of a psychotic disorder. These clinical features may also provide useful markers of an individual's capacity for social participation. Clinical implications include the need for early targeted intervention to address social anxiety and negative psychotic symptoms to facilitate optimum patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cacciotti-Saija
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and Its Disorders (CCD), Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Research Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Hickie
authors.affiliation: Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Guastella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: clinical symptom, first-episode psychosis; schizophrenia; social cognition; social functioning