Social anxiety and negative symptoms as the characteristics of patients with schizophrenia who show competence–performance discrepancy in social functioning

Abstract

Aim Although competence and performance in relation to social functioning usually go hand in hand, it is not uncommon to observe a discrepancy between the two in patients with schizophrenia. The present study was aimed at examining the characteristics of patient groups showing such discrepancy. Methods A total of 205 outpatients with schizophrenia aged ≤40 years old were enrolled. The symptomatology and social functioning were widely assessed. The patients were divided into four groups by the cut‐off scores for competence and performance in relation to social functioning calculated using a comprehensive dataset. Results The subjects were divided according to their level of competence and performance as follows: high competence and high performance (CP) group, 108 (52.7%) patients; high competence, but low performance (Cp) group, 40 (19.5%) patients; low competence, but high performance (cP) group, 13 (6.3%) patients; low competence and low performance (cp) group, 44 (21.5%) patients. One‐way analysis of variance and post‐hoc comparisons revealed significantly worse negative symptoms, general psychopathology scores, global functioning, and quality of life in the Cp group than in the CP group, and significantly better social anxiety symptoms, global functioning, and quality of life in the cP group than in the cp group. Conclusion In patients who are capable, but do not perform well, negative symptoms may be involved in the discrepancy. Patients who are able to maintain themselves well despite low social competence appear to have milder social anxiety symptoms as compared to patients who are neither competent nor perform well.

<p>Associations Of Personality Traits With The Capacity-Performance Discrepancy Of Functional Outcome In Patients With Schizophrenia</p>

“…They adapt to their community life smoothly beyond their capacity, and clinicians often wonder at their ability to do so. In our previous study,21 we revealed and supported this fact. Namely, a certain proportion of patients with schizophrenia in the community showed a low capacity–high performance discrepancy.…”

“…Based on our previous findings,21 we recruited different participants who had longer duration of illness than the previous study, because decline of functional performance in patients with chronic schizophrenia is an urgent problem in clinical settings 6,39. Furthermore, the present study adopted a performance-based measure to accurately assess functional capacity,15 although we had used a self-report measure by patients in our previous study 21. Most importantly, we investigated the associations of personality traits with the capacity–performance discrepancy of functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia which have not been examined yet.…”

“…In the current study, we examined the characteristics of a group of patients with schizophrenia who exhibit low functional performance despite a high functional capacity and a group of patients with schizophrenia who exhibit high functional performance despite a low functional capacity. Based on our previous findings,21 we recruited different participants who had longer duration of illness than the previous study, because decline of functional performance in patients with chronic schizophrenia is an urgent problem in clinical settings 6,39. Furthermore, the present study adopted a performance-based measure to accurately assess functional capacity,15 although we had used a self-report measure by patients in our previous study 21.…”

Demographic and clinical characteristics of foreign residents who visited hospitals for mental health problems in Japan: A multicenter study in a metropolitan area

“…Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (ICD-10 code: F4), which have a signi cant impact on social functioning [50], were the most common diagnoses ( Table 1). The proportion of F4 diagnoses in this study was higher than that for Japanese national data ( Figure 2).…”

Demographic and clinical characteristics of foreign residents who visited hospitals for mental health problems in Japan: a multicenter study in a metropolitan area

“…Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (ICD code: F4), which have a signi cant impact on social functioning [48], were the most common diagnoses ( Table 1). The proportion of F4 diagnoses in this study was higher than that for Japanese national data ( Figure 2).…”