title: Verbal memory, problem-solving skills and community status in schizophrenia.
abstract: Neuropsychological deficits have been associated with poor community functioning in individuals with schizophrenia. Previous research suggests that verbal memory capacity is related to functional capacity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between verbal memory, problem-solving skills and community functioning, as measured by treatment status (inpatient vs. outpatient) in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Evaluations were done on 162 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, seen in inpatient (n=87) and outpatient settings (n=75). Verbal memory was assessed using narrative recall and list recall measures. Problem-solving skills for independent living were assessed using a social reasoning measure and a daily problem-solving skills measure. Better verbal memory performance was associated with better problem solving for independent living. However, inpatient vs. outpatient status was best determined by problem-solving skills for independent living rather than verbal memory performance. The results reveal the importance of daily problem-solving skills for community status in schizophrenia. Although verbal memory performance is associated with problem-solving skills for independent living, predictive probability of community status does not improve when memory performance is taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA. revheim@nki.rfmh.org
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Revheim
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medalia
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014888:Wechsler Scales