Symptomatology and the prediction of social skills acquisition in schizophrenia

Abstract

The relationship between patient symptomatology and the acquisition of social skills during an inpatient social skills training program, and the maintenance of skills at a one-month followup, were examined in a sample of recently hospitalized schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorder patients. Subtypes of patients with enduring Thought Disorder (vs. no enduring Thought Disorder) or enduring Anergia (vs. no enduring Anergia) on the BPRS during the treatment period were compared in their response to the social skills training intervention. Patients with enduring Thought Disorder acquired skills at the same rate as patients without Thought Disorder, but were unable to retain their skills at followup, in contrast to their counterparts. Enduring Anergia was not related to either the acquisition or maintenance of social skills. The results were unaffected when memory was statistically controlled. The findings suggest that patient symptomatology may be an important factor mediating the efficacy of social skills training interventions.