The metacognitive functioning of patients with paranoid schizophrenia through the prism of emotional intelligence: a connection with cognitive deficit, clinical manifestations, social functioning and quality of life

Abstract

Metacognitive functioning is the basis of the individual’s ideas about his ability to build relationships with other people and manage own’s social behavior. Deterioration of metacognitive functioning in schizophrenia patients, presumably due to neurocognitive deficiency and other manifestations of the disease, probably contributes to disruptions of social functioning and quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the metacognitive functioning (MF) of patients with paranoid schizophrenia, operationalized as a cognitive ability to understand their own and other people’s emotions, and to explore the connection between social functioning (SF) and quality of life (QOL), as well as to establish logical relationships between MF with clinical indicators and socio-demographic characteristics of patients. In a sample of 300 patients with paranoid schizophrenia (age from 18 to 50 years, disease duration of at least 5 years, a total PANSS score of less than 120), MF was assessed using the Lyusin emotional intelligence test (EmIn) and the subjective assessment of interpersonal relationships (SOMO) test. Cognitive deficit was verified using a standardized battery of a Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). The indicators obtained using the quality of life questionnaire for schizophrenia patients (QOL-SM) and the social functioning scale (PSP) were used to create an integrated indicator that comprehensively assesses SF and QOL of schizophrenia patients (Factor B). Reliable associations of this factor with indicators obtained using the Emin method (p<0.05), SOMO (p<0.001), the PSP scale, the QOL-SM questionnaire, the BACS and PANSS scales, and also with a number of clinical-dynamic and socio-demographic characteristics were established. Significant relationships between the parameters of MF, SF and QOL were obtained, and logical relationships between MF, neurocognitive deficiency and other clinical manifestations of schizophrenia were established.