Are personality traits associated with cognitive disturbance in psychosis?

Objective: Personality and cognition are often considered as disparate cons tructs, both in normal individuals and in those with a psychosis. The goal of the present study was to analyze the relationship between dimensions of personality and cognitive performance in individuals with psychosis. Methods: Sixty-one consecutively admitted patients with an acute psychotic episode were recruited for this study. Personality was assessed through a s emistructured interview with a close relative using the Personality Assessm ent Schedule. A wide neuropsychological battery was applied, including atte ntional, executive, memory tasks and global cognition. Assessments took pla ce when symptomatology was in remission. Results: Higher scores on a passive-dependent dimension were significantly associated with poorer memory performance. Similarly, higher levels for a s chizoid dimension were significantly associated with poorer executive perfo rmance. The results remained significant after partialling out the effect o f gender, psychopathological dimensions and drug status. Conclusion: It is hypothesized that personality traits and cognitive perfor mance are interrelated domains in psychosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.