Treating problem-solving deficits on an acute care psychiatric inpatient unit.
Neuropsychological deficits in problem-solving are commonly found in patients with schizophrenia and severe affective disorders. However, in an acute care setting, treatment efforts do not typically target these deficits, even though they can impede recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term problem-solving remediation in acutely ill psychiatric inpatients. Twenty-eight psychiatric inpatients identified as having a verbal problem-solving deficit received 6 h of either verbal problem-solving remediation or placebo instruction. Before and after treatment a nurse rated the patient's psychiatric status and the patient completed verbal and nonverbal problem-solving tests, and a self-report rating of symptoms and ability to cope with symptoms. Both groups of patients improved on the measure of verbal problem solving, but those receiving problem-solving remediation improved significantly more. Both groups made symptomatic improvement, but the patients receiving problem-solving remediation made significantly more improvement on the measure of coping ability and the nurses rated them as more improved, both psychiatrically and with regard to coping skills. Verbal problem-solving deficits are responsive to short-term remediation in an acute care setting, and treatment effects may generalize to improve ability to cope with psychiatric symptoms.
Medalia
A
A
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, 10467, Bronx, NY 10467 , USA. amedalia@aol.com
Dorn
H
H
Watras-Gans
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017145:Models, Educational; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009519:New York City; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012984:Software; D016896:Treatment Outcome