Psychiatric symptoms are considered to be distributed along a continuum, from good mental health to a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. In the case of psychosis, subclinical psychotic experiences, which can include odd behaviors, strange speech, unusual perceptual experiences and social/emotional withdrawal, are often referred to as schizotypy. Research examining schizotypal traits in non-clinical populations is rapidly expanding. The exploration of schizotypy allows us to identify areas of overlap with psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia and related disorders) at genetic, biological, environmental and psychosocial levels, thus identifying putative risk factors, as well as exploring potentially protective factors. Schizotypy is also a valuable model for exploring cognition as performance is not confounded by issues often present in schizophrenia samples, such as long-term antipsychotic medication usage, social isolation, and recurrent hospitalizations. Investigating cognition is a particularly important area of research as cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia, such as impaired attention, reduced memory and difficulties with executive functions, are a core feature of schizophrenia and strongly related to quality of life and functional outcomes, yet generally respond poorly to current treatment options. The aim of this special Research Topic is to explore the relationship between cognition, schizotypy and the schizophrenia spectrum. The articles in this e-book draw on a variety of perspectives and represent an interesting array of opinions, reviews and empirical studies that begin to answer questions about the similarities and overlaps between schizotypy and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, contributing to our understanding of potential risk factors. Equally important is research that highlights differences between schizotypy and schizophrenia spectrum disorders that may enhance our understanding of potentially protective or adaptive features of schizotypy. Collectively, these articles highlight the exploratory potential of the study of schizotypy, particularly in relation to better understanding cognition across the schizophrenia spectrum.

Social Cognition in Psychosis combines current research on phenotypes, neurobiology, and existing evidence on the assessment and treatment of various forms of psychoses. The book presents various treatment options, including assessment approaches, tools and training methods that aid in the rehabilitation of patients with psychotic disorders. Social cognition is a set of psychological processes related to understanding, recognizing, processing and appropriately using social stimuli in one's environment. Individuals with psychotic disorders consistently exhibit impairments in social cognition. As a result, social cognition has been an important target for intervention, with recent efforts trying to enhance early recovery among individuals with psychotic disorders.

A practical guide on how to assess and treat schizophrenia and related disorders using cognitive rehabilitation.

Provides state-of-the-art information about cognition in schizophrenia with a wide ranging focus on measuring and treating cognitive deficits.

The prevalence of adult cognitive disorders will dramatically rise over the next 25 years due to the aging population. Clinical research on adult cognitive disorders has rapidly evolved, including evidence of new adult cognitive disorders and greater insight into the clinical presentation, mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of established diseases. The Oxford Handbook of Adult Cognitive Disorders is an up-to-date, scholarly, and comprehensive volume covering most diseases, conditions, and injuries resulting in impairments in cognitive function in adults. Topics covered include normal cognitive and brain aging, the impact of medical disorders and psychiatric illnesses on cognitive function, adult neurodevelopmental disorders, and various neurological conditions. This Handbook also provides a section on unique perspectives and special considerations for clinicians and clinical researchers, covering topics such as cognitive reserve, genetics, diversity, and neuroethics. Readers will be able to draw upon this volume to facilitate clinical practice (including differential diagnosis, treatment recommendations, assessment practices), and to obtain an in-depth review of current research across a wide spectrum of disorders, provided by leaders in their fields. The Oxford Handbook of Adult Cognitive Disorders is a one-of a kind resource appropriate for both clinicians and clinical researchers, from advanced trainees to seasoned professionals.

Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) is a group psychotherapy for individuals with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Recovery, Meaning-Making, and Severe Mental Illness offers practitioners an integrative treatment model that will stimulate and harness their creativity, allowing for the formation of new ideas about wellness in the face of profound suffering. The model, Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy (MERIT), complements current treatment modalities and can be used by practitioners from a broad range of theoretical backgrounds. By using metacognitive capacity as a guide to intervention, MERIT stretches and strengthens practitioners’ capacity for reflection and allows them to better use their unique knowledge to help people who are confronting the suffering and chaos that often comes from psychosis. Clinicians will come away from this book with a variety of tools for helping clients manage their own recovery and confront the issues that accompany an illness-based identity.

Deficits in social cognition and metacognition in schizophrenics makes it difficult for them to understand the speech, facial expressions and hence emotion and intention of others, as well as allowing little insight into their own mental state. These deficits are associated with poor social skills, fewer social relationships, and are predictive of poorer performance in a work setting. Social Cognition and Metacognition in Schizophrenia reviews recent research advances focusing on the precise nature of these deficits, when and how they manifest themselves, what their effect is on the course of schizophrenia, and how each can be treated. These deficits may themselves be why schizophrenia is so difficult to resolve; by focusing on the deficits, recovery may be quicker and long lasting. This book discusses such deficits in early onset, first episode, and prolonged schizophrenia; how the deficits relate to each other and to other forms of psychopathology; how the deficits affect social, psychological, and vocational functioning; and how best to treat the deficits in either individual or group settings. - Summarizes the types of social cognitive and metacognitive deficits present in schizophrenia - Discusses how deficits are related to each other and to other forms of psychopathology - Describes how deficits impact function and affect the recovery process - Provides treatment approaches for these deficits