Exploring the use of the Hinting Task in first-episode psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to elucidate the association between performance-related neurocognitive abilities and Theory of Mind (ToM) as measured by the Hinting Task (HT) performance and investigate the psychometric properties of the HT for use in First-Episode Psychosis (FEP). METHODS: Cross-sectional data of 132 participants with FEP, aged 15-25 years, enrolled in a randomised controlled trial of vocational intervention, were analysed. A comprehensive cognitive battery including social cognitive and neurocognitive measures, a social and occupational functioning measure and psychopathological measures, were used. Psychometric properties were measured through bivariate correlations and associations with neurocognitive domains were assessed through hierarchical regression. RESULTS: Low convergent validity of the HT with other ToM measures, moderate discriminant validity with an emotion recognition task, low predictive validity with social and occupational functioning, and high internal consistency were revealed. HT performance was significantly associated with verbal reasoning and verbal memory. CONCLUSION: Results provide preliminary evidence of low convergent validity and moderate discriminant validity of the HT in FEP, and the influence of verbal reasoning and verbal memory on HT performance, indicating that caution is warranted when employing the HT as a screening tool in isolation for detection of ToM deficits in FEP.

Cognitive functioning in ultra-high risk for psychosis individuals with and without depression: Secondary analysis of findings from the NEURAPRO randomized clinical trial.

Neurocognitive impairments are well established in both ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite this understanding, investigation of neurocognitive deficits in UHR individuals with MDD and its association with MDD within this population, has been scarce. Hence, this study aimed to examine any differences in neurocognition at baseline between those with MDD at baseline and those with no history of MDD, as well as determine whether neurocognitive variables are significantly associated with meeting criteria for MDD at follow-up, while controlling for relevant clinical variables, within a UHR cohort. Data analysis was conducted on 207 participants whose baseline neurocognition was assessed using Brief Assessment of Cognition for Schizophrenia, as part of a trial of omega-3 fatty acids (NEURAPRO) for UHR individuals. While baseline MDD was the strongest predictor, poorer verbal memory and higher verbal fluency were significantly associated with MDD at 12 months (p = .04 and 0.026, respectively). Further, higher processing speed was significantly associated with MDD at medium-term follow-up (p = .047). These findings outline that neurocognitive skills were independently associated with meeting criteria for MDD at follow-up within UHR individuals, with novel findings of better verbal fluency and processing speed being linked to MDD outcomes. Hence, neurocognitive performance should be considered as a marker of risk for MDD outcomes and a target for management of MDD in UHR.