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Negative symptoms and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia: Neglected but important targets for treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

R. Hunter  and
S. Barry
R. Hunter*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Research Institute for Neuroscience in Glasgow (PsyRING), West Medical Building, University of Glasgow, GlasgowG12 8QQ, United Kingdom Gartnavel Royal Hospital, GlasgowG12 0XH, United Kingdom
S. Barry
Affiliation:
Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, Boyd Orr Building, University of Glasgow, GlasgowG12 8QQ, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 141 2113550; fax: +44 141 3305175. E-mail address: robert.hunter@glasgow.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background

Many patients with schizophrenia suffer from poor social functioning, with high levels of unemployment being one particular consequence. Negative symptoms tend to persist during periods of clinical stability and may have a detrimental effect on function. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between negative symptoms and ability to function.

Methods

The EGOFORS study measured negative symptoms in 295 schizophrenia patients in 11 European sites using the PANSS Negative Subscale and assessment scales for psychosocial function: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Personal and Social Performance (PSP), Quality of Life Scale (QLS), Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia (FROGS), Psychosocial Remission in Schizophrenia (PSRS) and Subjective Wellbeing under Neuroleptics (SWN). The relationships between the PANSS Negative Subscale and the functional scales were investigated, adjusting for differences between study sites. Being in work, duration of illness, age of onset and number of years of education were also investigated for a relationship with function.

Results

There were strong, statistically significant correlations between PANSS Negative Subscale and all of the function scales (95% confidence intervals for the correlation coefficients: PSRS 0.77–0.91; FROGS 0.74–0.89; QLS 0.74–0.92; GAF 0.64–0.78; PSP 0.63–0.80) except the SWN. All of the functional scales except SWN were at least moderately related to one another. All of the items in each of the PANSS Negative Subscale and the function scales contributed to the relationships between them. Better functioning correlated strongly with participants being in work.

Conclusion

This study shows a strong and significant relationship between negative symptoms and psychosocial functioning. Given the impact of negative symptoms on psychosocial function, much more emphasis should be placed on developing effective treatments for negative symptoms, given that most patients with schizophrenia now live in community settings and require to function adequately to support their quality of life.

Keywords

SchizophreniaNegative symptomsPsychosocial functionDrug target
Type
Original articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 27 , Issue 6 , August 2012 , pp. 432 - 436
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2012

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