NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF PSYCHOSOCIALFUNCTIONING IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

This study tested hypothesized relationships between neuropsychologica l and psychophysiological variables and concurrent levels of clinical and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia. The sample consisted of 40 subjects diagnosed with a chronic schizophrenia spectrum disorder and living in community-based settings. The psychophysiological variab les were tonic skin conductance (SC) level, SC reactivity to stressors , and SC response to orienting stimuli. The neuropsychological measure s were the Stroop, the Controlled Word Association Test, and four subt ests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (block design, d igit symbol, digit span, and arithmetic). The psychosocial variables w ere measures of symptomatology, independent living, work, and social f unctioning. The results suggested that higher symptoms were associated with higher resting arousal, lower stress reactivity, status as an el ectrodermal responder, and deficits in verbal fluency and visuo-motor functioning. The pattern for better social functioning was higher rest ing arousal, lower stress reactivity, and more responses to orienting stimuli. Higher levels of independent living were associated with bett er visuo-motor and verbal processing. Increased work functioning was a ssociated with better complex visuo-spatial processing. These findings are discussed in terms of (1) the specificity of associations between psychosocial, psychophysiological, and neuropsychological variables a nd (2) a holistic perspective toward understanding these relationships and their relevance to rehabilitation in schizophrenia.