Social cognition in schizophrenia: recommendations from the measurement and treatment research to improve cognition in schizophrenia new approaches conference.

This article summarizes the discussion from a breakout group at the National Institute of Mental Health-Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia New Approaches Conference on social cognition in schizophrenia. During this discussion, the reasons for the recent growth of research on social cognition in schizophrenia were examined. The discussion group established consensus on several points, including the importance of viewing social cognition from interdisciplinary perspectives (including outcomes research, social psychology, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and animal models) and the need for clearer definition of terms. There was also general agreement that social cognition is a valuable construct for understanding the nature and disability of schizophrenia. One of the objectives of this group was to generate recommendations for subsequent human and animal studies, and these research agendas are summarized in this report.