Investigating the Mediating Role of Facial Emotion Recognition in the Relationship between Cognitive Functioning and Social Performance in Patients with Schizophrenia

By considering the importance of social performance in schizophrenia disorder, understanding the underlying factors of this defect is of great importance. On the one hand, as several studies have shown, facial emotion recognition is associated with social performance but on the other hand it is related to cognitive functioning. Facial emotion recognition may have a significant role in the relationship between cognitive functioning and social performance, so that this component can provide a more useful position for treatment interventions. The study was implemented on 51 patients who were selected by available sampling with schizophrenia disorder (18 men, 33 women). Cognitive functions including short-term verbal memory, understanding interpersonal non-verbal positions and sustain attention, were measured by verbal paired associates subtest of Wechsler Memory Scale Revised (WMS-R), picture arrangement subtest of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and Continuous performance test (CPT), respectively. Social performance was also evaluated by personal and social performance scale (PSP). Facial emotion recognition was examined by the images of facial emotions according to Ekman and Friesen (1976). Results showed that facial emotion recognition plays a mediating role in the relationship between cognitive functioning and social performance. Generally, these findings lead us towards the position that treatments targeting social cognition in general and emotion recognition in particular must be noted.