title: Relationship of amotivation to neurocognition, self-efficacy and functioning in first-episode psychosis: a structural equation modeling approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Better understanding of the complex interplay among key determinants of functional outcome is crucial to promoting recovery in psychotic disorders. However, this is understudied in the early course of illness. We aimed to examine the relationships among negative symptoms, neurocognition, general self-efficacy and global functioning in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients using structural equation modeling (SEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and twenty-one Chinese patients aged 26-55 years presenting with FEP to an early intervention program in Hong Kong were recruited. Assessments encompassing symptom profiles, functioning, perceived general self-efficacy and a battery of neurocognitive tests were conducted. Negative symptom measurement was subdivided into amotivation and diminished expression (DE) domain scores based on the ratings in the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An initial SEM model showed no significant association between functioning and DE which was removed from further analysis. A final trimmed model yielded very good model fit (χ2 = 15.48, p = 0.63; comparative fit index = 1.00; root mean square error of approximation <0.001) and demonstrated that amotivation, neurocognition and general self-efficacy had a direct effect on global functioning. Amotivation was also found to mediate a significant indirect effect of neurocognition and general self-efficacy on functioning. Neurocognition was not significantly related to general self-efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate a critical intermediary role of amotivation in linking neurocognitive impairment to functioning in FEP. General self-efficacy may represent a promising treatment target for improvement of motivational deficits and functional outcome in the early illness stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: V W Y
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C L M
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: S K W
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: E H M
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,The University of Hong Kong,Queen Mary Hospital,Pokfulam,Hong Kong.
authors.forename: E Y H
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057565:Apathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020377:Self Efficacy
keywords: Diminished expression; functional outcome; general self-efficacy; motivational deficits; negative symptoms; neurocognitive impairment