Psychometric properties of the Observable Social Cognition Rating Scale (OSCARS) : Self-report and informant-rated social cognitive abilities in schizophrenia

Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) consistently show deficits in social cognition (SC) which is associated with real world outcomes. Psychosocial treatments have demonstrated reliable improvements in SC abilities, highlighting the need for accurate identification of SC deficits for efficient and individualized treatment planning. To this end, the Observable Social Cognition Rating Scale (OSCARS) is an 8-item scale with both self and informant versions. This study investigated psychometric properties of the OSCARS as both a self and informant-reported scale in a large sample of SSD (n = 382) and individuals without a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 289). A two-factor structure (Social Cognitive Bias and Social Cognitive Ability) of the OSCARS demonstrated acceptable model fit with good internal consistency for both self- and informant-report. The OSCARS had adequate convergent, external, and predictive validity. Area Under the Curve (AUC) values suggest the OSCARS has some value in identifying individuals with impaired SC and social competence, although stronger AUC values were demonstrated when identifying individuals with impaired real-world functioning. Overall, psychometric properties indicate the OSCARS may be a useful first-step tool for clinicians to detect functioning deficits in SSD and efficiently identify individuals in need of additional assessment or psychosocial interventions.