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Background and aim: Schizophrenia is a disabling condition which affects independent functioning in instrumental activities of daily living (IALDs). Due to their importance in mental health and rehabilitation planning, this study was designed to compare functional capacity and daily life performance in IADLs in patients with schizophrenia with healthy matched individuals. The relations between capacity and performance are also considered.
Materials and methods:  Thirty community dwelling patients with chronic schizophrenia and thirty healthy matched individuals were selected. After obtaining a written consent, IADLs were assessed using the Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS) and the Lawton's index of instrumental activities of daily living. Data analysis was done by SPSS, version 14.0.
Results: Comparing two groups, patients with schizophrenia scored significantly lower in independency, process, and quality in PASS, and in total score of Lawton's index (P<0.001 for all variables). No significant correlations were found between two measures.
Conclusion: It seems that functional capacity and performance in IADLs are limited in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Functional capacity was not related to daily life performance. However, further studies are needed to investigate factors affects functional outcome.

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Background and Aim: People with schizophrenia have deficits in interpersonal and social skills associated with social dysfunction. Facial processing ability is an effective component of social functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between facial identity discrimination and social functioning in 20-55 years old schizophrenic patients and comparison with normal matched group.

 Materials and Methods: The method of this study was analytical- descriptive and comparative. Twenty normal individuals and 20 schizophrenic patients matched in age, sex and educational level, were assessed about facial identity by researcher- made test, and interaction skills by "Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills"(ACIS) questionnaire. Available sampling was used for census patients (who inhabited Tolou rehabilitation center and supported houses in Tehran) and normal group.

 Results: There were significant difference in scores of "communication and interaction skills" (p<0.01) without any significant difference between facial identity discrimination testing variables (p>0.05) between two groups. The relationships between "facial identity discrimination" and "communication and interaction skills" in schizophrenia were compared with control group and did not show significant difference. (p>0.05).  

 Conclusion: The facial identity in schizophrenic patients and healthy adults were processed globally (configural). However, its relation with "Communication and Interaction Skills in schizophrenic patients requires further study.

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Background and Aim : Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness encompassing a spectrum of cognitive, social, and emotional impairments. One of the serious problems in schizophrenia is functional dysfunction. Emotional face recognition is an effective component of social functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between negative emotional faces perception and global function in patients with schizophrenia.

  

Materials and Methods: The method of this study was analytical- descriptive. Using convenience sampling method 30 patients with schizophrenia (16 male/14female, 20-45 years old) were selected from Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospitalof Tehran University of Medical Science (TUMS) in Tehran, Iran. Their functionswere assessed by Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and responses to emotional face perception(N170) were recorded by Event Related Potential(ERP). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation test and linear regression in SPSS software version 15.

  

Results: Results showed that the mean amplitudes of N170 responses to fearful and angry faces in patients with schizophrenia were significantly correlated with the GAFscores (P<0.001). Besides, the amplitudes of N170 responses to angry faces (as compared to fearful faces) could predicate the % 26 of the GAF scores changes by stepwise regression analysis.

  

Conclusion Findings suggested that the functional dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia is due to the deficit in the early stage of facial expression perception.

  

Key words : Schizophrenia, Emotional Face, Global Functioning, N170, ERP