Effects of Psychotic Symptoms and Social Cognition on Job Retention in Patients with Schizophrenia in Korea

This research examined the relationship between psychotic symptoms, social cognition, and job retention among people with schizophrenia in Korea. Participants (158 people with schizophrenia from 15 mental health institutions) were divided into two groups: those with a job retention period of less than six months (n = 75), and those with a job retention period of six months or more (n = 83). Participants completed a survey packet containing the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Global Assessment of Function (GAF) Scale, Interpersonal Relationship Functioning Assessment Scale, Basic Empathy Scale, Hinting Task, and Ambiguous Intention Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ), and provided their job retention status. We used binomial logistic regression analysis to examine whether job retention was affected by participants’ demographic, clinical, and vocational characteristics, as well as the three components of social cognition, i.e., theory of mind, empathy, and attribution style. Results showed that theory of mind (ToM), attribution style, and psychotic symptoms explained 52.7% of the variance in job retention. A higher theory of mind means a higher ability to grasp the intentions of others. The higher theory of mind, the lesser attribution style, and the lesser psychotic symptoms were related to a longer period of job retention.