Racial Effects on Neuropsychological Functioning in Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effects of race on neuropsychological functioning in patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: A total of 160 patients with schizophrenia completed an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Scores were standardized to a group of 99 psychiatrically and physically healthy subjects and categorized into seven functional domains: concentration, executive function, language, motor function, spatial memory, verbal memory, and visual processing. RESULTS: African Americans (N=25) had significantly lower mean scores on executive function, language, spatial memory, and visual processing than did Caucasians (N=135). Statistical control for patient and family education eliminated all significant effects. CONCLUSIONS: Educational differences in patients and families may account for some of the performance heterogeneity reported in patients with schizophrenia and should be routinely analyzed with other sociodemographic factors such as race and sex.