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Both cognitive appraisals of risks associated with the specific disease and affective response to crisis situations have been shown to shape an individual response to pandemics. COVID-19 pandemic and measures introduced to contain it present an unparalleled challenge to mental well-being worldwide. Here, we examine the relationship between self-reported cognitive biases (CB) and emotion regulation skills (ER), COVID-19 risk perception and affective response, and mental well-being (MWB). Five Hundred and Eleven individuals completed General Health Questionnaire, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS) as well as scales measuring COVID-19 risk perception and affective response during the initial days of the epidemic in Poland. We used path and bootstrapping analyses to examine the hypothesis that CB may shape MWB during COVID-19 pandemic both directly and indirectly by (i) decreasing ER capacity and (ii) by increasing COVID-19 risk perception and affective response. Negative effect of CB and positive effect of ER via cognitive reappraisal on MWB were observed in participants. Furthermore, in line with our hypothesis, we observed indirect effects of CB via increased COVID-19 risk perception and affective response and decreased use of reappraisal strategy, which all, in turn, were related to MWB. Finally, we found an indirect effect of CB on MWB through double mediation of suppression strategies and COVID-19 affective response. Results of the current study suggest that CB, which have been shown to be linked to a variety of mental health symptoms in non-clinical populations, may exacerbate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health outcomes.

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OBJECTIVES: The main goal of the study was an adaptation and validation of the Hinting Task to Polish language. The Hinting Task is the main instrument used to assess theory of mind deficits in individuals with schizophrenia. METHODS: Two groups were compared in the course of the study: individuals with schizophrenia and people without a history of mental and neurological disorders. Psychometric properties of the instrument were analysed. Between-group difference in the mean scores of the Hinting Task was also calculated. Additionally, in the clinical group, the correlation of the severity of psychopathological symptoms with the result of the Hinting Task was also assessed. RESULTS: Results indicated satisfactory psychometric properties (internal consistency, inter-rater reliability and external validity) sufficient for between-group comparisons for research purposes. The presented test highly distinguished two assessed groups: individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Contrary to the expectations, in the clinical group scores in the Hinting Task did not correlate with the severity of psychopathological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Polish translation of the Hinting Task has psychometric properties appropriate for the research setting. Usefulness of the Hinting Task in other clinical groups should be addressed in future research.

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RESUMEN

UNLABELLED: The ability to recognize emotion on the basis of facial expressions is an important component of emotional intelligence. Correct identification of facial mimics is a crucial element of nonverbal communication and it facilitates the processes of social cognition. The impairment of identification of facial emotion can contribute to i.a. deterioration in social functioning. Numerous empirical studies have proven that facial emotion recognition is disordered in schizophrenia and depression. The aim of the study was to compare the ability to recognize facial emotions between patients with schizophrenia, patients with recurrent depressive disorder and healthy controls. Moreover, the relation between scale of the impairment and severity of clinical symptoms was examined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Participants of the study were divided into three groups: patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 36), patients diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorder (n = 36) and healthy controls (n = 36). Facial emotion recognition was assessed in each group by using Emotional Intelligence Scale (SIE-T). Furthermore, the correlation between the performance in SIE-T and severity of clinical symptoms, assessed with Hamilton Depression Dating Scale and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was tested. RESULTS: Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were significantly impaired in SIE-T when compared with patients with depression and healthy controls. No statistically significant differences were observed between two latter groups. However, a correlation between performance and severity of depressive symptoms, as well as a trend towards a correlation between severity of positive symptoms and performance in SIE-T were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia displayed the most severe deficits in facial emotion recognition of all three groups, and their impairment was independent from severity of symptoms. However, in depression deficits are related to severity of depression symptoms. The impairment of facial emotion recognition can significantly affect patients' social functioning.

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