Objective · To analyze the difference of the event-based prospective memory (PM) between first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and normal patients, and to explore its possible psychological mechanism. Methods · Thirty-four FES patients without medication (FES group) and 31 healthy volunteers (healthy control group) were enrolled. Cue identification and intention retrieval components of event-based PM were examinedusing dual-task paradigm. Besides, verbal working memory was assessedLetter-Number Span, retrospective memory was assessedcomprehension memory test, and multitasking capability was assessedmodified six-element test (MEST). The mental symptoms and their severity were evaluatedPositive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Clinician-Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom severity (CRDPS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Results · The cue identification PM and intention retrieval PM in the FES group were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group (all PP0.000), while there was no significant difference in the multitasking capability between the two groups. After the working memory, retrospective memory and executive function being controlled, the difference in cue identification and intention retrieval of the two groups were still significant (both P0.000). Besides, there was no significant correlation between clue recognition ability and intention extraction ability of schizophrenia and clinical symptoms. Conclusion · Both cue identification deficit and intention retrieval deficit in event-based PM may be primary cognitive defects in patients with schizophrenia.