Social competence in schizophrenia: premorbid adjustment, social skill, and domains of functioning

J Psychiatr Res. 1990;24(1):51-63. doi: 10.1016/0022-3956(90)90024-k.

Abstract

The relations between premorbid adjustment, social skill, and domains of functioning (symptoms, social adjustment) were examined in a group of 107 schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and affective disorder patients. Premorbid sexual adjustment was moderately correlated with social skill in the schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients. Schizophrenic patients had the lowest premorbid adjustment and social skill, followed by schizoaffectives, and then affective patients. Within the schizophrenic group, social skill was significantly related to both current social adjustment and negative symptoms, but not positive symptoms. Similar but weaker effects were found for premorbid adjustment. The results suggest that deficits in social skill are correlated with poor premorbid and morbid social adjustment of schizophrenics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bipolar Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Quality of Life
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenia, Paranoid / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Social Adjustment*
  • Social Environment