The Relevance of Neurocognition and Social Cognition for Outcome and Recovery in Schizophrenia

Over a decade of research has shown that neurocognition and social cognition are highly relevant to functional outcome in schizophrenia. These 2 factors can function as predictors, mediators or moderators of functioning under various conditions. One purpose of this chapter will be to summarize this body of literature. The notion of recovery in schizophrenia does not yet have a consensus or gold standard definition, and there appear to be at least 2 domains to recovery, the functional and the subjective. These 2 domains reflect somewhat distinct ideologies and approaches to outcome in schizophrenia. In fact, it appears that there is a stakeholder effect in the definitions of recovery, with clinicians and researchers focusing more on the functional aspects of recovery, and advocates and consumers more on the subjective ones. A second task of this chapter will be to address how neurocognition and social cognition are relevant to the notion of recovery in schizophrenia. Finally, we will offer speculation about conceptual approaches to research on recovery in schizophrenia.