Community Participation Factors and Poor Neurocognitive Functioning among Persons with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Poor neurocognitive functioning among individuals with schizophrenia is typically conceptualized as resulting from a disease process. The objective of this article is to further expand understanding of poor neurocognition beyond pathogenesis toward a perspective that also incorporates community participation factors. This article focuses on three such factors—sedentary behavior, loneliness, and poverty—that have been demonstrated to be related to neurocognition and are highly prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia. This article provides an overview of the research on each factor and discusses its possible connection to neurocognitive challenges for individuals with schizophrenia. Implications for research, policy, and practice efforts are then proposed to broaden approaches to understanding and addressing neurocognitive challenges in this population.