Final answer:
True, cognitive impairment has a stronger relationship with functional disability than psychotic symptoms due to its direct impact on daily functioning and essential life skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement cognitive impairment is more strongly associated with functional disability than psychotic symptoms is indeed supported by evidence. Cognitive impairment can lead to significant difficulties in performing daily activities, as cognitive functions are crucial for managing these tasks. The progression of cognitive decline, seen in conditions that manifest with plaques in the brain due to cell death, can lead to severe forgetfulness, and eventually, an inability to perform basic functions like walking, talking, and eating. In contrast, psychotic symptoms such as disordered thoughts can interfere with learning and daily functioning but may not have as direct an impact on functional disability as cognitive impairments do. For example, cognitive rehabilitation, including techniques such as the use of virtual reality, is employed to mitigate mild cognitive impairment and prevent its progression into dementia. Cognitive dysfunction, characterized by praxis and gnosis issues, reflects the ability to transform verbal commands into motor responses and recognize objects, which directly affects day-to-day functioning.