Mindfulness and social cognition skills in the prediction of affective symptomatology in schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and nonclinical participants

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate significant predictors of affective symptomatology in schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and healthy controls. The sample was of 91 participants who completed the following instruments: the Eye Test (emotional recognition), the Hinting Task (theory of mind), the Ambiguous Intentions and Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ; attributional style), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; empathy), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; mindfulness trait), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Significant predictors of affective symptomatology were: mindfulness (dispositional or trait mindfulness, nonreactivity and nonjudgment), and social cognition (SC) (attributional style and theory of mind). Mediation analysis showed that theory of mind was the only significant mediator of affective symptomatology. This paper shows the role of mindfulness and SC skills in the prediction of affective symptomatology.