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Objectives: The serum brain–derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is related to neurocognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia. This study studied the associations between BDNF and social cognition as well as social function in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We recruited 29 patients with schizophrenia with convenience sampling in outpatient clinics. The Visual Search Task, Facial Expressive Identification, and Social Function Scale were used to assess social cognition including visual attention, facial expression identification, and social function. Serum BDNF protein levels were measured using an ELISA kit. Results: A significantly higher accuracy rate of feature search (t = -2.52, p < 0.05), and a significantly higher facial expression identification (t = -2.63, p < 0.05) existed in the high social function group than in the low social function group. Significant positive associations existed between facial expression identification and total score of social function (r = 0.39, p < 0.05). Significant relations were also found between facial expression identification and independence-performance of social function (r = 0.45, p < 0.05), accuracy rate of feature search and total score of social function (r = 0.50, p < 0.01), and reaction time of conjunction search and total score of social function (r = 0.46, p < 0.05). But significant negative associations existed between reaction time of feature search and total score of social function (r = -0.38, p < 0.05) as well as reaction time of feature search and recreation of social function (r = -0.38, p < 0.05). What’s more, significant negative associations existed between BDNF serum level and interpersonal communication of social function (r = -0.42, p < 0.05) as well as BDNF serum level and accuracy rate of conjunction search (r = -0.49, p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study results suggest that BDNF might play an important rôle in social cognition and social function in patients with schizophrenia.