An “Errorful” Learning Deficit in Schizophrenia?

Abstract

Disturbances in learning are prominent in schizophrenia. The present study examined the effect of committing mistakes (errors) on learning in schizophrenia. Subjects included schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients (n = 36) and healthy adults (n = 22) who were administered a word-stem completion task under “errorfree” (no guessing) and “errorful” (guessing) conditions. The data were analyzed using a 2 (group) × 2 (order) × 2 (condition) repeated-measures ANOVA and by comparing standard residualized scores between patients and controls. The results from the ANOVA revealed a significant group × condition interaction with patients showing greater impairment relative to controls on the errorful versus errorfree condition. Similarly, contrasts of standard residualized scores revealed patients' scores on the errorful condition to be deviant from that of healthy adults. The findings implicate problems in the ability to self-correct and suggest that rehabilitation efforts incorporating errorless learning methods may benefit persons with schizophrenia.