Cognitive function in Chinese patients with schizophrenia: the Chinese Brief Cognitive Test (C-BCT) profile of impairment.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the empirical validity of the Chinese Brief Cognitive Test (C-BCT) and examine the correlation between cognitive symptoms and functional outcomes in people with schizophrenia.

Methods: Patients with schizophrenia (n = 145) together with 723 healthy controls underwent testing with C-BCT and MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Clinical staff measured Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Personal and Social Performance (PSP) Scale for patients. One-way analysis of covariance was conducted to compare cognitive performance across groups. The correlation between C-BCT performance and PANSS and PSP was examined using the Pearson product moment correlation. The Global Deficit Score (GDS) was used to identify the severity of cognitive impairment. The generalized linear model was used to analyze the effects of age, sex and education.

Results: The four scales of C-BCT alongside composite scaled score (Css) demonstrated statistical differences between groups with partial eta squared scores between 0.049 and 0.171. Composite scaled score was weakly correlated with each scale of the PANSS (r-value ranged from -0.242 to -0.190), and weakly correlated with PSP. In addition to Digit Span Task, scales of C-BCT had different correlations with PANSS and PSP. There were differences in GDS among patients with different employment status (p < .05). 55.9% of the patient sample had been identified as cognitive impaired using C-BCT.

Conclusions: The C-BCT exhibits good empirical validity in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Information processing speed, executive function, attention/vigilance, and overall cognitive performance were differently related to clinical symptoms and social function.

Highlights: Cognitive impairment is one of the core symptoms and dimensions of schizophrenia.The Chinese Brief Cognitive Test (C-BCT) is a simplified cognitive assessment tool based on the Chinese cultural environment.The C-BCT has good empirical validity in Chinese patients with schizophrenia, and can evaluate neurocognition in Chinese patients with schizophrenia in a shorter time.The C-BCT may be helpful for clinicians and researcher because of its convenience and efficiency.