Final answer:
It is true that cognitive impairment generally has a stronger relationship with functional disability than psychotic symptoms do, because cognitive impairments can profoundly impact daily life and functioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the relationship between cognitive impairment and functional disability is stronger than the relationship between psychotic symptoms and functional disability is generally true. Cognitive impairment can broadly impact a person's daily life and functioning, more so than the episodic nature of psychotic symptoms. Cognitive impairments include conditions like intellectual disability, disease-related cognitive disruption, and issues resulting from autism and developmental disabilities. Cognitive deficits, such as severe forgetfulness caused by diseases with a genetic basis, or memory and thinking difficulties after a psychotic episode, can greatly impair a person's ability to carry out daily activities and maintain independence. In contrast, psychotic symptoms may be more limited in duration and can be mitigated to some extent, allowing better management of functional abilities during non-acute phases. Moreover, cognitive rehabilitation, including innovative methods such as virtual reality, is showing promise in mitigating cognitive impairment, allowing for some restoration of everyday functioning.