Validation of a Video Based Scale for Measuring Social Cognition in Schizophrenia

Objectives Social cognition plays an important role in psychiatric symptoms and prognosis in patients with schizophrenia. Diagnostic scales are predominantly text-based or intended for the evaluation of theoretical concepts, with limited usefulness in clinical settings. We therefore developed a video based social cognition scale. Methods Our scale consists of 20 video clips portraying frequently experienced social interactions in real life. Patients were asked which interactions were socially unnatural and the reasons for lies told by actors. Our scale was validated and social cognition and its relationship with symptoms was evaluated using item response theory. Results A total of 209 participants (schizophrenia, 101 ; bipolar disorder, 49 ; healthy controls 59) were enrolled. Our scale showed high reliability and concurrent validity compared with the order subtest of the short form of the Weschler Adult Intelligence scale. Internal validity also was high (Cronbach s alpha=0.904). Most items were easy to answer and highly discriminative. The test information curve showed our scale to be more informative in patients with low social cognition ability. Conclusion Our scale may aid in the study of pathology and social cognition deficits in patients with schizophrenia.