Sleep Apnea Among Gulf War Veterans: An Examination of VA Utilization Rates, Treatment Initiation, and Health Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among veterans is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. The present study sought to: 1) characterize the prevalence and rate of treatment of OSA among VA users and non-users and 2) examine the associations between diagnosed or probable OSA and key physical and mental health outcomes. METHODS: Gulf-War I-era Veterans were recruited as part of a national survey assessing mental and physical health concerns, healthcare needs, and healthcare utilization. OSA diagnoses were self-reported while sleep apnea risk was assessed via the STOP-Bang. Veterans also completed questionnaires assessing overall health, pain, depression, PTSD, and psychosocial functioning. RESULTS: 1,153 veterans were included in the present analyses (Mean age = 58.81; 21.84% female). Compared to non-VA healthcare users, veterans receiving care at the VA were more likely to have been diagnosed with OSA (p < .001) and report receiving treatment for OSA (p = .005). Compared to veterans at low risk for OSA, veterans at elevated risk reported higher levels of pain (p = .001), depression (p = .02), and poorer psychosocial functioning (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: OSA diagnoses appear to be more common among VA healthcare users. Findings suggest that OSA remains underdiagnosed and associated with important physical and mental health consequences. Additional screening for OSA, especially among non-VA clinics, is warranted.

Nonsuicidal self-injury among veterans is associated with psychosocial impairment, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and underutilization of mental health services.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a robust predictor of suicide attempts. However, understanding of NSSI and associated treatment utilization among Veterans is limited. Although impairment may be assumed, few studies examine the association between NSSI and psychosocial functioning, a core component of the rehabilitation framework of mental health. In a national survey of Veterans, current NSSI (n = 88) was associated with higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and more severe psychosocial impairment after adjusting for demographics and probable diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder, compared to Veterans without NSSI (n = 979). Only half of Veterans with NSSI were engaged with mental health services, with few appointments attended, suggesting that these Veterans are not receiving treatment interventions. Results underscore the adverse outcomes associated with NSSI. Underutilization of mental health services highlights the importance of screening for NSSI among Veterans to improve psychosocial outcomes.

Cannabis use and suicide risk among Gulf War veterans.

Cannabis use has been indicated as a risk factor for suicide in veterans. This study of Gulf War veterans tested the relationship between self-report past year cannabis use and (a) past year suicidal ideation and (b) risk for suicidal behavior. Data were from a national sample (N = 1126) of Gulf War veterans. Logistic regression models indicated cannabis use was associated with past year suicidal ideation and elevated risk for suicidal behavior, independent of key covariates. In corroboration with research on other military populations, this study indicates a potentially concerning association between cannabis use and suicide risk in Gulf War veterans.

The association of military sexual assault and nonsuicidal self-injury in U.S. Gulf War-I era veterans.

Military sexual assault (MSA) is a prevalent issue among military personnel that has been linked to adverse mental and physical health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The present study sought to investigate the relationship between MSA and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in a national sample of Gulf War-I Era U.S. veterans. The study analyzed data from 1,153 Gulf War-I veterans collected through a cross-sectional survey that assessed demographic information, clinical outcomes, military background, and history of MSA and NSSI. MSA was found to be significantly associated with NSSI at the bivariate level (OR = 2.19, p < .001). Further, MSA remained significantly associated with NSSI (AOR = 2.50, p = .002) after controlling for relevant demographics and clinical outcomes. Veterans with a history of MSA were approximately two and half times more likely to engage in NSSI than veterans who had not experienced MSA. The present findings provide preliminary evidence linking MSA and NSSI. Further, the findings highlight the importance of assessing MSA and NSSI in veteran populations, particularly among those seeking treatment for PTSD.

Less dropout from prolonged exposure sessions prescribed at least twice weekly: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Trauma-focused psychotherapies, such as prolonged exposure (PE), are strongly recommended to treat posttraumatic stress disorder due to their effects in reducing symptoms. However, such therapies may also suffer from high dropout rates. To investigate how clients might benefit from trauma-focused therapy while minimizing dropout, we conducted a meta-analysis of 1,508 adults from 35 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of outpatient PE programs to evaluate treatment frequency as a predictor of dropout. When an RCT prescribed PE sessions at least twice weekly compared to less frequently, the dropout rate was significantly lower at 21.0%, 95% CI [13.9%, 30.4%], compared to 34.0%, 95% CI [28.9%, 39.4%], OR = 0.52, 95% CI [0.30, 0.89], p = .018. It was not possible to draw causal conclusions, as only one RCT compared two PE treatment frequencies head-to-head. Nonetheless, the findings remained significant after controlling for study characteristics. These data invite reconsideration of the common practice of weekly psychotherapy in favor of twice-weekly sessions in standard outpatient treatment.

Mentalizing Errors in Patients with Schizophrenia Who Received Psychosocial Rehabilitation: a Case-Control Study.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the mentalizing performance of patients with schizophrenia who received daily psychosocial rehabilitation treatment compared with healthy controls. Differences in mentalizing performance between men and women, and the relationship between mentalizing deficits, cognitive impairment, symptoms, and global functioning of patients were also examined. A case-control study design was utilized (N = 95). Adults with schizophrenia were recruited from psychosocial rehabilitation clinics (n = 53) and healthy controls were recruited from the community (n = 42). Mentalizing was evaluated with the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition, an audiovisual measure with good ecological validity. Measures of cognitive functioning, symptoms, and global functioning were also administered. Patients exhibited significant mentalizing deficits. Specifically, patients made more undermentalizing errors and more no mentalizing errors compared with healthy controls. In patients and healthy controls, no differences were found between men and women in mentalizing abilities. In patients with schizophrenia, lower cognitive functioning (i.e., immediate and delayed verbal learning, verbal fluency, and processing speed) were associated with poorer mentalizing. In patients, processing speed explained 31% of the variance in total mentalizing errors and mentalizing deterioration was associated with poorer overall functioning. Psychosocial rehabilitation interventions in people with schizophrenia should consider mentalizing deficits (especially undermentalizing and no mentalizing difficulties) and their relationship with reduced processing speed in treatment delivery (e.g., direct and organized communication). Integration of treatments targeting mentalizing deficits in a psychosocial rehabilitation setting is recommended to improve functioning in schizophrenia.

Personality and the Expression of Symptomatology in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.

Researchers and clinicians have begun using dimensions rather than categories to classify psychopathology with a reliance on personality questionnaires to tap traits that can inform dimensional characterizations. A neglected concern is whether in severe psychopathology questionnaire-based assessments of personality reflect a lifetime propensity toward a diagnosis, as some personality-psychopathology models posit, or reflect the transient effects of current symptoms, as a complication model of personality-psychopathology would suggest. Accurate characterization of psychopathology is necessary to understand etiology and prescribe clinical care. We studied 127 adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar disorder who completed well-validated measures of personality, current symptomatology, and lifetime psychopathology. We found that normative personality traits were related to current symptoms but unrelated to lifetime symptomatology, whereas the schizotypal trait of cognitive-perceptual distortions predicted lifetime psychosis severity. Questionnaire-based assessments of normative personality are likely affected by current symptom states and may fail to yield a stable characterization of psychopathology.

Diagnostic Efficiency of Caregiver Report on the SCARED for Identifying Youth Anxiety Disorders in Outpatient Settings.

This study investigated the diagnostic and clinical utility of the parent-rated Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED-P) for detecting youth anxiety disorders. Youth ages 6 to 12 years, 11 months were recruited from 9 outpatient mental health clinics (N = 707). Consensus diagnoses were based on semistructured interviews (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children) with youth and caregivers; 31% were diagnosed with at least one anxiety disorder. Caregivers completed the SCARED-P to describe youth anxiety levels. SCARED-P scores were not considered during the consensus diagnoses. Areas under the curve (AUCs) from receiver operating characteristic analyses and diagnostic likelihood ratios (DLRs) quantified performance of the SCARED-P total score and subscale scores (generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder). SCARED-P total scores had variable efficiency (AUCs = .69-.88), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Separation Anxiety subscale scores were excellent (AUCs = .86-.89) for identifying specific anxiety disorders. Optimal subscale cutoff scores were computed to help rule in (DLRs = 2.7-5.4) or rule out (DLRs < 1.0) anxiety disorders among youth. Results suggest that the Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Separation Anxiety SCARED-P subscales accurately identify their respective matched diagnoses. DLRs may aid clinicians in screening for youth anxiety disorders and improve accuracy of diagnosis.

Demographic characteristics and epigenetic biological aging among post-9/11 veterans: Associations of DunedinPACE with sex, race, and age.

Measures of epigenetic aging derived from DNA methylation (DNAm) have enabled the assessment of biological aging in new populations and cohorts. In the present study, we used an epigenetic measure of aging, DunedinPACE, to examine rates of aging across demographic groups in a sample of 2,309 United States military veterans from the VISN 6 MIRECC's Post-Deployment Mental Health Study. As assessed by DunedinPACE, female veterans were aging faster than male veterans (ß = 0.39, 95 % CI [0.29, 0.48], p < .001), non-Hispanic Black veterans were aging faster than non-Hispanic White veterans (ß = 0.58, 95 % CI [0.50, 0.66], p < .001), and older veterans were biologically aging faster than younger veterans (ß = 0.21, 95 % CI [0.18, 0.25], p < .001). In secondary analyses, these differences in rates of aging were not explained by a variety of biopsychosocial covariates. In addition, the percentage of European genetic admixture in non-Hispanic Black veterans was not associated with DunedinPACE. Our findings suggest that female and non-Hispanic Black veterans are at greater risk of accelerated aging among post-9/11 veterans. Interventions that slow aging might provide relatively greater benefit among veterans comprising these at-risk groups.

Deployment-related toxic exposures are associated with worsening mental and physical health after military service: Results from a self-report screening of veterans deployed after 9/11.

Exposure to toxins-such as heavy metals and air pollution-can result in poor health and wellbeing. Recent scientific and media attention has highlighted negative health outcomes associated with toxic exposures for U.S. military personnel deployed overseas. Despite established health risks, less empirical work has examined whether deployment-related toxic exposures are associated with declines in mental and physical health after leaving military service, particularly among the most recent cohort of veterans deployed after September 11, 2001. Using data from 659 U.S. veterans in the VISN 6 MIRECC Post-Deployment Mental Health Study, we tested whether self-reported toxic exposures were associated with poorer mental and physical health. At baseline, veterans who reported more toxic exposures also reported more mental health, ß = 0.14, 95% CI [0.04, 0.23], p = 0.004, and physical health symptoms, ß = 0.21, 95% CI [0.11, 0.30], p < 0.001. Over the next ten years, veterans reporting more toxic exposures also had greater increases in mental health symptoms, ß = 0.23, 95% CI [0.15, 0.31], p < 0.001, physical health symptoms, ß = 0.22, 95% CI [0.14, 0.30], p < 0.001, and chronic disease diagnoses, ß = 0.15, 95% CI [0.07, 0.23], p < 0.001. These associations accounted for demographic and military covariates, including combat exposure. Our findings suggest that toxic exposures are associated with worsening mental and physical health after military service, and this recent cohort of veterans will have increased need for mental health and medical care as they age into midlife and older age.

The impact of trauma-focused psychotherapies on anger: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Anger is one of the most prevalent concerns among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is often a residual symptom following PTSD treatment. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine how effective trauma-focused PTSD psychotherapies are in reducing anger. METHOD: The study was reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. This study conducted a systematic review of studies that reported the effect of trauma-focused treatments on anger outcomes. Additionally, a meta-analysis was conducted with a subset of studies that used randomized controlled trials (RCTs) methodologies to compare trauma-focused PTSD treatments to nontrauma-focused and control conditions. RESULTS: The systematic review included 16 studies with a total of 1,846 participants. In 11 of the studies, there was a significant decrease in an anger dimension following treatment. Eight studies with 417 total participants met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis yielded a pooled effect size of PTSD treatment on anger of Hedges's g = 0.33. CONCLUSION: Overall, trauma-focused treatments for PTSD significantly improve anger, but the magnitude of change is small-to-medium. Additional research is needed to determine how best to maximize anger outcomes following trauma-focused treatment or determine if and when targeted anger treatment is needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Social Cognition Mediates the Impact of Processing Speed and Sustained Attention on Global Functioning in Schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Deficits in information processing, sustained attention and social cognition have important implications for the daily functioning of people with schizophrenia. The present study analyzed the relationship between processing speed, sustained attention, social cognition, and functioning in clinically stable people with schizophrenia. METHOD: Ninety people with schizophrenia and 100 healthy controls completed a battery of measures to assess clinical symptoms, processing speed, sustained attention, social cognition, and functioning. GLMMs and SEM were used to assess the relationships between these variables. RESULTS: People with schizophrenia had impaired performance in all cognitive outcomes compared to healthy controls. Processing speed and sustained attention, together in a latent variable, had a strong effect on functioning (Beta = 0.32; p <.05). However, social cognition had also a strong effect on functioning (Beta = 0.29; p <.001) in the mediation model, which exhibited better indices of fit than the model including neurocognition alone (e.g. RMSEAbasic = 0.131 and RMSEAmediator = 0.054). CONCLUSIONS: The mediating effect of social cognition on the relationship between processing speed, sustained attention, and functioning in people with schizophrenia suggests the importance of including both domains of neurocognition along with social cognition as treatment targets in rehabilitation interventions to optimize improvements in functioning in schizophrenia.

Love Is Not All You Need: Understanding the Association Between Relationship Status and Relationship Dysfunction With Self-Directed Violence in Veterans.

INTRODUCTION: Research indicates that being married is associated with reduced risk of suicide and self-directed violence (SDV) relative to being divorced. Simultaneously, difficulties within relationships predict poorer health outcomes. However, research on relationship status rarely examines relationship functioning, obfuscating the joint contribution of these variables for SDV risk. METHOD: Veterans (N = 1,049) completed a survey that included assessment of relationship status, relationship functioning, and SDV history. Logistic regression models tested how (a) relationship status, (b) relationship dysfunction, and (c) being divorced compared to being in a low- or high-dysfunction relationship were associated with SDV, controlling for several intrapersonal risk factors. RESULTS: Veterans in a relationship did not differ in SDV history compared to divorced/separated veterans. However, more dysfunction within relationships was associated with greater odds of a history of SDV and suicidal cognitions. Finally, SDV histories were more likely among veterans endorsing high-dysfunction relationships compared with (a) low-dysfunction relationships and (b) divorced veterans. CONCLUSION: It may be insufficient to only consider relationship status when evaluating interpersonal risk factors for SDV. A single item assessing relationship dysfunction was associated with enacted SDV and suicidal cognitions over and above intrapersonal risk factors. Integrating such single-item measures into clinical practice could improve identification and subsequent tailored intervention for veterans at greater risk for SDV.

Relationship dysfunction was related to self-directed violence (SDV) history independent of other risk factors.Being in a relationship alone was not related to SDV history relative to being divorced.A single item assessing relationship dysfunction was related to SDV history.

Interpersonal stress and nonsuicidal self-injury disorder in veterans: An ecological momentary assessment study.

INTRO: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with marked functional impairment and is a robust predictor of suicide attempts. Prevalence rates of NSSI, and self-directed violence more broadly, are elevated among military veterans. Despite the inclusion of interpersonal difficulty in the diagnostic criteria for NSSI disorder, the relationship between interpersonal risk factors and NSSI is not well-characterized, especially among veterans. This ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study investigated the hypothesis that interpersonal stressors and associated distress would precede and predict NSSI urge and engagement-but not vice versa-via cross-lagged multilevel modeling. METHOD: Forty veterans with NSSI disorder completed a 28-day EMA protocol with three daily prompts assessing NSSI urges, NSSI engagement, the occurrence of interpersonal stressors, and associated subjective interpersonal distress. RESULTS: Interpersonal stressors preceded and predicted subsequent NSSI urges, but not NSSI engagement, whereas subjective interpersonal distress preceded and predicted both NSSI urges and NSSI engagement. CONCLUSION: Results identified interpersonal stressors as a risk factor for NSSI urges, and interpersonal distress as a risk factor for both NSSI urges and NSSI engagement. Findings highlight the importance of temporally assessing interpersonal factors related to NSSI and suggest that interpersonal distress may be a modifiable risk factor for NSSI.

Nonsuicidal self-injury methods among U.S. Veterans: Latent class analysis and associations with psychosocial outcomes.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a debilitating concern among U.S. veterans, with wall/object-punching commonly endorsed as an NSSI method. We examined how this behavior relates to other NSSI methods and psychosocial outcomes. We conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) of NSSI methods among 1,138 Gulf War Era veterans, (77.9% male), 21.7% of whom endorsed lifetime NSSI. We categorized classes based on their associations with age, sex, combat and military sexual assault exposure, then examined the association of class membership with psychosocial indicators. LCA results supported four classes: 1) High punching/banging NSSI (2.5%); 2) Multimethod NSSI methods (6.3%); 3) High-risk, multimethod NSSI (3.1%); and 4) Low-risk NSSI (88.1%). Psychosocial indicators (suicide attempt, ideation, possible depressive or posttraumatic stress disorders, poor psychosocial functioning) were worse for members of the NSSI classes versus those in the low-risk group. A subset of U.S. veterans may engage in NSSI primarily via punching/banging methods. All patterns of NSSI engagement were associated with negative psychosocial outcomes relative to those in the low-risk class of the behavior.

Racial disparities and predictors of functioning in schizophrenia.

Black Americans are diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders at more than twice the rate of White individuals and experience significantly worse outcomes following diagnosis. Little research has examined specific factors that may contribute to worse functional outcomes among Black Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia. One approach to understanding why racial disparities emerge is to examine established predictors of functioning in this population: neurocognition, social cognition, and symptom severity. The present study aims to broaden existing literature on racial differences within these domains by (a) examining racial differences in functioning and these established predictors of functioning (i.e., neurocognition, social, and symptom severity) and (b) investigating whether cognition and symptom domains similarly predict functioning between Black and White Americans with schizophrenia. Sixty-six participants' baseline neurocognition, social cognition, symptom severity, and functioning were assessed. Black participants demonstrated lower neurocognition scores and higher levels of disorganized symptoms relative to White participants. No racial differences in functioning or social cognition were observed. Further, race did not moderate the relationship between any of these established predictors and functioning outcomes. The largely nonsignificant differences in known predictors of functioning highlight the need to explore further domains that may be more relevant for understanding racial disparities in schizophrenia. Considering that psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia spectrum disorders often focus on cognition, these results underscore the importance of identifying whether these domains or other treatment targets may be better in addressing racial disparities in functioning. Possible areas of exploration for future work (e.g., structural factors, racism-related stress) are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Prevalence of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Military Personnel: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Military service members and veterans (SMVs) are at risk for self-directed violence, including nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). While NSSI is an important construct worthy of independent study, it is understudied among SMVs and, when included in research, typically examined in the context of suicide risk. Consequently, lifetime prevalence rate estimates of NSSI among SMVs vary. This Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the average lifetime NSSI prevalence among SMVs and explored demographic and methodological factors that may account for observed variability. Based on a search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, 47 samples from 42 articles across five countries met inclusion criteria. Results revealed an average NSSI lifetime prevalence rate of 15.76% among SMVs. Significantly higher prevalence rates were observed among clinical (28.14%) versus community (11.28%) samples and studies using interviews to assess NSSI (23.56%) versus self-report (13.44%) or chart review (7.84%). Lifetime prevalence increased as publication year increased and decreased as sample size increased. In contrast to prior literature, prevalence rates were comparable between active-duty SMVs, and studies collecting data anonymously versus those that did not. Lifetime prevalence was not moderated by age, gender, race, country, primary research focus, quality of NSSI operationalization, or whether NSSI methods were assessed. Findings suggest NSSI is a pervasive problem among military personnel, particularly within clinical settings, highlighting the need for systematic assessment of this important but understudied clinical phenomenon among SMVs. Further research is necessary to elucidate additional risk factors for NSSI among SMVs, including trauma exposure.

Experiential Avoidance, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: A Moderation Analysis in a National Veteran Sample.

Experiential avoidance (EA) is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) across different populations, and extant literature has demonstrated a strong relationship between PTSD and SITBs. However, no study has explored the potential moderating role EA plays in the association of PTSD with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. The objective of the present study was to determine if EA would moderate the association with PTSD and SITBs such that the association between PTSD and individuals SITBs would be stronger among individuals with higher EA. In a large national sample of Gulf War Era veterans (N = 1,138), EA was associated with PTSD, lifetime and past-year NSSI, current suicidal ideation, and lifetime suicide attempts in bivariate analyses. Multivariate analyses detected a significant EA by PTSD interaction on lifetime NSSI (AOR = 0.96), past-year NSSI (AOR = 1.03), and suicide attempts (AOR =1.03). Probing of the interactions revealed that the respective associations between PTSD, lifetime and past-year NSSI, and suicide attempts were stronger at lower levels of EA (i.e., better), counter to our hypotheses. These preliminary findings contextualize the relationship between these variables in a Gulf War veterans sample and signal the need to further investigate these relationships. Further, these findings highlight the need for advancement in assessment and intervention of EA and SITBs.

Relationship between college lifestyle variables, eating disorder education, and eating disorder risk.

Objective: This study examined relationships between eating disorder risk (EDR), lifestyle variables (e.g., exposure to healthy eating media), and differences among male and female college students. Participants: College students (N = 323) completed survey questionnaires (Fall, 2016). Fifty-three participants retook the survey at a later time. Methods: Participants completed a survey measuring EDR using EDI-3 subscales and 10 college lifestyle variables. Female and male EDR and Time 1 and Time 2 EDR were compared. Relationships between EDR and college life-style variables were examined. Results: Exercise, fewer daily meals, less face-to-face interactions, more digital interactions, less exposure to healthy eating media, and having conversations about body image were associated with EDR risk. Male college students showed an increase in EDR over time. Conclusions: Several lifestyle factors predicted EDR in college females and males. These lifestyle factors are modifiable and may be addressed by colleges during orientation and within the campus environment.

Brief battery of the Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation study (BB-SCOPE): Development and validation in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

The aim of the present study was to develop an abbreviated social cognition (SC) battery for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) to reduce the heterogeneity of and increase the frequency of assessment of SC impairment. To this end, the present study utilized Item Response Theory to develop brief versions of SC tasks administered to individuals with SSD (n = 386) and individuals without a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 292) during the Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) Study. Seven brief measures of SC were evaluated (i.e., Ambiguous Intentions and Hostility Questionnaire [AIHQ], Bell Lysaker Emotion Recognition Task [BLERT], Penn Emotion Recognition Task, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task, Hinting Task, Intentionality Bias Task, Relationships Across Domains Task), and the existing brief version of The Awareness of Social Inference Test was reviewed. Psychometric properties for each brief SC measure were evaluated and compared to the original measures. Based on psychometric properties and relationships with other measures of SC, neurocognition, and functioning, two brief tasks (AIHQ, BLERT) and the full-length Hinting task were recommended for inclusion in a brief battery of SC tasks from the SCOPE Study (BB-SCOPE). The resulting BB-SCOPE is efficient, with an estimated administration time of 15 min, and comprehensively assesses three domains of SC (i.e., attributional bias, emotion processing, theory of mind) to identify severe SC impairment. Scoring of BB-SCOPE is also straightforward and includes a recommended cut-point of 60 for identifying SC impairment.