Summary: | Social cognition has emerged as a second domain of cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. However, the role of social cognition in nicotine dependence is not well understood in the literature thus far. This review took a psychosocial approach in understanding nicotine dependence in schizophrenia. Following the proposed psychosocial pathway, nicotine dependence in schizophrenia is associated with poor social outcome and impaired social functioning. This review attempts to associate social cognition and executive functioning with social functioning, and describe how poor social outcome and impaired social functioning could lead to nicotine dependence in schizophrenia. In addition, this review would propose suggestions for future interventions against nicotine dependence with the integration of social cognition and executive functioning training. The evaluation and implication of the proposed intervention would be discussed in the final part.
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