THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIAL COGNITION AND QUALITY OF LIFE ADAPTION IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR MENTAL DISORDERS

Abstract Background Impairments in social cognition have been observed in individuals with psychiatric disorders, often resulting in poor interpersonal relationships and difficulties in social adaptation. However, the precise correlation between social cognition and overall well-being remains a subject of ongoing investigation. Aims & Objectives This study aims to elucidate the relationship between social cognition, as assessed both subjectively and objectively, in individuals with major mental disorders. Additionally, it explores the potential influence of age on this relationship. Methods We assembled a cohort of 103 participants aged between 20 and 65, all diagnosed with major mental disorders, including 33 with major depressive disorders, and 52 with bipolar disorders. Healthy control participants were recruited from the community. All participants completed a battery of assessments, including the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), the Empathy Quotient (EQ), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHO-QoL). Results An independent t-test revealed that individuals in the patient group performed less favorably on the EQ and achieved lower scores on the WHO-QoL compared to the healthy control group. Moreover, Pearson's r correlation analysis unveiled a significant positive correlation between MAAS and the other assessment scores. Additionally, a significant positive correlation emerged between EQ and WHO-QoL, while a significant negative correlation was observed between age and RMET. Further hierarchical regression analysis was conducted, controlling for illness, age, RMET, EQ, and MAAS. The model explained 58.3% of the variance in WHO-QoL. Notably, only MAAS demonstrated a significant association with WHO-QoL (β =.605, p =.008). When controlling for illness, age, EQ, and MAAS, RMET did not significantly correlate with WHO-QoL. Discussion & Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the substantial explanatory power of both subjective and objective evaluations for assessing quality of life. While a significant correlation between inner psychological states and social cognition has been observed, the precise relationship between social cognition and the level of life adaptation remains somewhat unclear. This lack of clarity may be attributed to the relatively small sample size of our patient group, which could have introduced some instability in the results. To enhance our understanding of this relationship, future studies should consider increasing the number of participants and conducting more extensive research involving different categories of mental disorders. Additionally, gathering objective assessment data from significant individuals in the subjects' lives could provide a more comprehensive evaluation of social cognition, shedding further light on its impact on individuals with mental disorders. This research contributes to the ongoing exploration of social cognition and its role in mental health and well-being.