Thought disorder and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia - The concurrent and predictive relationships

Recent findings have linked impairments in social performance among individ uals with schizophrenia to deficits in cognition. However, one component of cognition, thought disorder (TD), has received little attention in its ass ociation with social functioning. The current investigation examined the cr oss-sectional and predictive relationships between bizarre-idiosyncratic th ought and psychosocial functioning throughout the early course of schizophr enia and compared these relationships to those observed among individuals w ith affective disorders (i.e., bipolar disorder, manic type, and major depr ession without psychotic features). Participants were assessed on TD, work, and social functioning using standardized procedures across three follow-u ps over an 8-year period. The cross-sectional relationships between TD and impairment in work performance were generally significant. TD also signific antly predicted subsequent work functioning years later. Less support was f ound for the relationship between TD and Social functioning. Finally, the r elationship between TD and work performance appeared to be more consistent over time for the subjects with schizophrenia compared to those with affect ive disorders. The results suggest that techniques which minimize TD may ha ve implications for occupational functioning among persons with chronic psy chiatric disorders.