Self-assessment of functional ability in schizophrenia: milestone achievement and its relationship to accuracy of self-evaluation.

Between 50% and 80% of patients with schizophrenia do not believe they have any illness, and their self-assessment of cognitive impairments and functional abilities is also impaired compared to other information, including informant reports and scores on performance-based ability measures. The present article explores self-assessment accuracy in reference to real world functioning as measured by milestone achievement such as employment and independent living. Our sample included 195 people with schizophrenia examined with a performance-based assessment of neurocognitive abilities and functional capacity. We compared patient self-assessments across achievement of milestones, using patient performance on cognitive and functional capacity measures as a reference point. Performance on measures of functional capacity and cognition was better in people who had achieved employment and residential milestones. Patients with current employment and independence in residence rated themselves as more capable than those who were currently unemployed or not independent. However, individuals who had never had a job rated themselves at least as capable as those who had been previously employed. These data suggest that lifetime failure to achieve functional milestones is associated with overestimation of abilities. As many patients with schizophrenia never achieve milestones, their self-assessment may be overly optimistic as a result.