People with schizophrenia show changes in the skills related to emotional intelligence, but little is known about the clinical course of these deficits. Few studies have examined the evolution of emotional intelligence in schizophrenia patients.

To increase knowledge about emotional intelligence deficits in schizophrenia and to study its clinical course and factors related, with particular interest in neurocognitive deficits.

To compare emotional intelligence and other clinical and neurocognitive data in patients with schizophrenia in a different moment of evolution.

Twenty-five patients with schizophrenia for up to 5 years of evolution were compared to 24 patients with schizophrenia for more than 5 years of evolution. The assessment protocol consisted of a questionnaire on socio-demographic and clinical-care data, and a battery of assessment scales, including MSCEIT for emotional intelligence.

Both groups show a deterioration of emotional intelligence. Schizophrenia patients over 5 years of evolution have worse performance in emotional intelligence test that schizophrenic lower evolution. In the schizophrenia group of up to 5 years of evolution, none variables correlate with emotional intelligence. In the schizophrenia group of more than 5 years of evolution, there were moderate negative correlations with the severity of symptoms and depressive symptoms, and moderate correlation of positive sign with functionality, but none of the neurocognitive assessment scales.

There are arguments for the existence of a progressive deterioration of emotional intelligence in schizophrenia. This deficit in emotional intelligence in schizophrenia appears to be present from the first years of the disease.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.