Social cognition in schizophrenia in comparison to bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective Cognitive dysfunction is a common characteristic of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BP). While these deficits are more severe in schizophrenia, there is a significant overlap between conditions. However, it was hypothesized that social cognitive deficits might be more specific to schizophrenia. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing facial emotion recognition and theory of mind (ToM) abilities in schizophrenia and BP. 26 studies comparing 1301 patients with schizophrenia and 1075 with BP were included. Results Schizophrenia patients significantly underperformed compared with BP patients in both facial emotion recognition (d = 0.39) and ToM (d = 0.57). Ne..