TY - JOUR AU - Gonzalez-Blanch, C AU - Medrano, LA AU - Bendall, S AU - D'Alfonso, S AU - Cagliarini, D AU - McEnery, C AU - O'Sullivan, S AU - Valentine, L AU - Gleeson, JF AU - Alvarez-Jimenez, M Y2 - 2020/12/14 Y1 - 2020/01/01 SN - 0924-9338 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11343/254261 AB - OBJECTIVE: Numerous research studies have demonstrated an association between higher symptom severity and cognitive impairment with poorer social functioning in first-episode psychosis (FEP). By contrast, the influence of subjective experiences, such as social relatedness and self-beliefs, has received less attention. Consequently, a cohesive understanding of how these variables interact to influence social functioning is lacking. METHOD: We used structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect relationships among neurocognition (processing speed) and social cognition, symptoms, and social relatedness (perceived social support and loneliness) and self-beliefs (self-efficacy and self-esteem) in 170 individuals with FEP. RESULTS: The final model yielded an acceptable model fit (χ2 = 45.48, comparative fit index = 0.96; goodness of fit index = 0.94; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.94; root mean square error of approximation = 0.06) and explained 45% of social functioning. Negative symptoms, social relatedness, and self-beliefs exerted a direct effect on social functioning. Social relatedness partially mediated the impact of social cognition and negative symptoms on social functioning. Self-beliefs also mediated the relationship between social relatedness and social functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The observed associations highlight the potential value of targeting social relatedness and self-beliefs to improve functional outcomes in FEP. Explanatory models of social functioning in FEP not accounting for social relatedness and self-beliefs might be overestimating the effect of the illness-related factors. LA - English PB - CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS T1 - The role of social relatedness and self-beliefs in social functioning in first-episode psychosis: Are we overestimating the contribution of illness-related factors? DO - 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.90 IS - European Psychiatry VL - 63 IS - 1 ER -