Metacognition and negative symptoms in First Episode Psychosis: A long-term follow-up
Poster B21, Tuesday, October%209, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Stephen Austin1, Ulrik Haahr1, Jens Einar Jensen2, Anne Marie Trauelsen3, Hanne-Grethe Lyse Nielsen4, Marlene Buch Pedersen4, Erik Simonsen1,5; 1Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand Psychiatry , Denmark, 2Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Capital Region, Copenhagen, Denmark, 3Mental Health Center Amager, Capital Region, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4Early Psychosis Intervention Center, Region Zealand, Roskilde, Denmark, 5Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen University, Denmark
Background: Metacognition can be described as the ability to think about mental states and metacognitive deficits have been observed in schizophrenia. Negative symptoms are considered core psychopathology in schizophrenia. Recent research has identified the importance of negative symptoms and metacognitive deficits in long-term outcomes for people with schizophrenia. Aim: The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between metacognitive functioning and negative symptoms at long-term follow-up for people with first episode psychosis. Design: The prospective study used the Metacognitive Assessment Scale (MAS) to assess metacognition based on free narratives of patients’ personally relevant episodes and relationships. Negative symptoms was assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptom scale (PANSS). Results: Results collected from participants (n=58) revealed a significant correlation between baseline MAS scores and negative symptoms at three year follow-up (r=0.44, p<0.001). A regression analysis revealed that MAS baseline scores accounted for 19% of the variance of negative symptoms displayed at 3 years. A hierarchical regression revealed that baseline negative symptoms accounted for 20% (F(1,56)=14.10, p<0.000) of the variance negative symptoms displayed at 3 years and MAS baseline scores explained a further 3% (F(2,55)=8.39, p<0.001) of the variance of negative symptoms at 3 year follow-up. Conclusion: Metacognitive deficits and negative symptoms may be causally linked and therefore interventions that reduce psychopathology associated with these two factors may have implications for improving long-term outcomes in first episode psychosis. Further studies are required to clarify the relationship between metacognition and negative symptoms.
Topic Area: Neurocognition