Cognition and Social Cognition in People Experiencing Homelessness

Objective: To understand the social cognitive profile of a population of people experiencing homelessness. To identify to what extent social cognition and other cognitive functions were related in the present sample. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed to recruit thirty-five English speaking participants, who completed a battery of tests of cognition and social cognition. Social cognition measures included the Affect Naming Task, Mentalisation Stories, and the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy. Results: Participant performance on objective measures of social cognition (Affect Naming, Mentalisation Stories) were poorer than expected based on normative data. A number of weaknesses on cognitive tasks assessing verbal learning and memory and attentional-executive functions were identified. Cognitive functions in other domains correlated with but was not predictive of social cognition performance. Conclusions: This is the first study to identify weaknesses in social cognition in a sample of people experiencing homelessness without veteran status. People who are homeless should be routinely offered assessment of their cognition and social cognition, in order to better support their health and housing needs. Future research with more diverse samples and longitudinal follow-up will strengthen our understanding of social cognition in people who are homeless.