Social Cognitive Functioning and Participation in Daily Life: A Comparison of Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, and Brain Tumors.

Sipma, Roos (2025) Social Cognitive Functioning and Participation in Daily Life: A Comparison of Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, and Brain Tumors. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Introduction: Social cognitive impairments are a key feature of various neurological disorders. Social cognition involves emotion recognition, Theory of Mind (ToM) and social behavior. Deficits in these domains can lead to reduced participation in daily life. Research comparing the impact of these domains across different neurological groups such as multiple sclerosis, stroke and brain tumor, and across various participation domains remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to compare social cognitive functioning across these neurological groups and investigate how social cognitive impairments relate to participation outcomes. Methods: In the current study 9 MS patients, 30 stroke patients and 17 brain tumor patients were included. Test scores on measures for emotion recognition (FEEST), ToM (Cartoon test) and social behavioral problems (BAFQ-SOC) were used. Furthermore, general cognitive functioning was assessed, including measures of executive functioning (TMT, HSCT) and memory (15 Words Test). Participation was assessed with questionnaires (IPA and USER-P). Results: All groups showed impairments in emotion recognition and ToM, whereas deficits in social behavior were infrequent. The only group difference was in emotion recognition, with MS patients scoring lower than brain tumor patients. Regression analyses indicated that difficulties in social behavior were related to reduced participation across various domains. Conclusion: These findings suggest that social behavior is linked to participation, regardless of neurological diagnosis, highlighting the value of a transdiagnostic approach in rehabilitation. Screening for behavioral problems could help identify individuals at risk for reduced participation. Future longitudinal research should examine how changes in social cognition, together with factors such as mood, social support and illness awareness, influence everyday functioning. Keywords: social cognition, emotion recognition, theory of mind, social behavior, general cognition, participation, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain tumor

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Rakers, S.E. and Heegers, A.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Neuropsychology (CN) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2025 11:06
Last Modified:	29 Sep 2025 11:06
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5950

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