Social Perception Predicts Awareness of Illness in Persons With Schizophrenia

Abstract

Lack of clinical insight in patients with schizophrenia is an obstacle to optimal treatment. Social cognition is one of several variables central to insight deficits in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical insight in relation to one domain of social cognition, social perception, while controlling for effects of non-social cognition and symptom severity. Clinical insight was measured in fifty-five patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, using the Birchwood Insight Scale. Relationships across Domains was used to assess Social Perception. Social perception predicted one of three subscales of clinical insight; "Awareness of illness", and was the only unique contributor to this subscale. This indicates that social perception is linked to clinical insight through awareness of illness.More research is needed to fully understand the relationship between social and non-social cognition and symptoms in relation to clinical insight.

Pharmacological Treatment for Social Cognition: Current Evidence

“…Social perception: Social perception is the ability to identify, understand and employ social cues, roles and rules to make inferences about context, relationship and social situations using verbal and non-verbal communication [ 48 ]. It allows people to form impressions of others from elements of social interaction [ 49 ].…”