Relationship between clinical outcomes measures and personal and social performance functioning in a prospective, interventional study in schizophrenia

Objectives To explore clinical and demographic characteristics impacting patient functioning by determining extent of overlap in factors driving change in Personal and Social Performance (PSP) and other clinical outcomes. Methods Post‐hoc analysis from a single‐arm trial of paliperidone extended release in adult patients with nonacute symptomatic schizophrenia. Psychosocial functioning measures: PSP, Clinical Global Impression–Severity (CGI‐S), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Short‐Form 36 (SF‐36), treatment satisfaction, sleep quality/daytime drowsiness, and Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale. Results Highest correlations with PSP total score change included PANSS total score change (Spearman's r = 0.607), PANSS general psychopathology change (r = 0.579), and CGI‐S change (r = 0.569). A PSP score change of −32 predicted 90% probability of deterioration in CGI‐S (score change of ≥1). The power of PSP change to predict PANSS total score change was lower. Linear stepwise regression demonstrated independent relationships for PSP change and: PANSS total change; CGI‐S change; SF‐36 Mental Component change; treatment satisfaction at endpoint; PSP at baseline; previous psychiatric hospitalizations. R 2 = 0.55 meant that 45% of PSP variation could not be explained by other clinical outcome measures. Conclusions Psychosocial functioning improvement is important in schizophrenia. PSP may be valuable for assessing functioning; it encompasses psychosocial and clinical factors not measured by other established assessments.