title: Impact of avolition and cognitive impairment on functional outcome in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorder: a prospective one-year follow-up study.
abstract: Previous research investigating the relationships between avolition, cognition and functioning in schizophrenia mostly focused on chronic samples and were cross-sectional in design. Impacts of avolition and cognition on longitudinal functional outcome in first-episode patients are under-studied. We assessed 114 Chinese aged 18-55 years presenting with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorder aiming to identify baseline predictors of 1-year functional outcome. Results showed that both avolition and global cognition independently predicted functioning, with avolition being the strongest predictor above and beyond cognition and other symptom dimensions. Our findings indicate the central role of in determining longitudinal functional status in the early illness stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: changwc@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Wing Chung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Christy Lai Ming
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Sherry Kit Wa
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Edwin Ho Ming
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Eric Yu Hai
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: First episode psychosis; Functioning; Motivational impairment; Negative symptoms