A social path to functioning in schizophrenia: From social self-efficacy through negative symptoms to social functional capacity. Issue 3 (30th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vaskinn, Anja; Ventura, Joseph; Andreassen, Ole A.; Melle, Ingrid; Sundet, Kjetil
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 228:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 803
• Page End: 807
• Publication Date: 2015-08-30
• Subjects: Self-efficacy -- Attitudinal beliefs -- Schizophrenia -- Negative symptoms -- Neurocognition -- Social function -- Functional capacity; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: Self-efficacy is important to functioning in schizophrenia. The exact pathway is less clear, possibly because most studies used composite rather than domain-specific self-efficacy scores. We examined if a specific measure of social self-efficacy is more important to a social (from negative symptoms to social functional capacity) compared to a non-social (from neurocognition to non-social functional capacity) path to functioning. Associations between social self-efficacy and negative symptoms, neurocognition and social and non-social functional capacity were examined in a cross-sectional study of schizophrenia ( n =51). Two models were investigated using bootstrapping methods to test for mediation. In Model I, social self-efficacy was entered as a mediator; in Model II as a predictor. Social self-efficacy was unrelated to neurocognition and non-social functional capacity. Associations with negative symptoms and social functional capacity were significant. Negative symptoms were found to mediate between social self-efficacy and social functional capacity. Support was found for a social path to functioning in schizophrenia, going from social self-efficacy through negative symptoms to social functional capacity. Our results are consistent with the idea that negative symptoms can develop as a reaction to self-defeatist beliefs. Future studies should use domain-specific self-efficacy to further understand predictors of functioning in schizophrenia. Highlights: Social self-efficacy was associated with social, not with non-social, constructs. Negative symptoms mediated between social self-efficacy and social functioning. Negative symptoms can develop as a reaction to self-defeatist beliefs. Domain-specific measures should be used in self-efficacy studies in schizophrenia.