La relevancia de la cognición social en la esquizofrenia

Abstract

Research conducted in recent years has shown correlations between neurocognitive deficits and functional outcome in schizophrenia. Whereas deficits such as attention, memory and executive functioning have been widely studied, less attention has been paid to social cognition. However social cognition is moving into the focus of interest because empirical evidence is showing the functional significance of social cognition as a mediating variable between neurocognition and the social level of functioning in schizophrenic patients. Consequently, new interventions have been developed focusing on the key domains of social cognition that are impaired in schizophrenia (emotion perception, social perception, theory of main, social schemata, and attributional style), with the goal of improving social cognitive functioning. The purpose of this present work is: to summarize the current conceptualisation of social cognition and the domains included under this concept; to present some of the instruments available to evaluate social cognition; and to review the main intervention programs devoted to improving social cognition in schizophrenia.