Cognitive self-efficacy in schizophrenia: Questionnaire construction and its relation with social functioning

BACKGROUND: Social functioning or social adjustment is a general term used to refer to the ability of individuals to meet socially defined roles such as homemaker, worker, student, spouse, family member, or friend. In schizophrenia, the patient’s social functioning is impaired. Social functioning tends to worsen due to impairment in cognitive functions, and it is a primary target for various rehabilitation programs for schizophrenia. In cognitive remediation therapies, much attention is paid to cognitive skill development rather than cognitive self-efficacy, possibly due to a dearth of systematic studies in this area. The objective of the current study was to explore cognitive self-efficacy in association with verbal working memory and demographic variables as predictors of social functioning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was classified into two studies: Phase-I dealt with construction of a questionnaire measuring cognitive self-efficacy (CSE). Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were tested on 100 patients with schizophrenia. In phase II, 150 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 were taken from the department of psychiatry of different postgraduate hospitals in Kolkata. CSE questionnaire, positive and negative symptoms scale for schizophrenia (PANSS), Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) India-Social Functioning Index (SCARF-SFI), and backward digit span test were administered. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis showed that CSE was a strong predictor in predicting social functioning. CONCLUSION: Cognitive Self-efficacy questionnaire was developed and validated.