title: Cognitive predictors of skill acquisition on social problem solving in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between social problem solving ability, clinical features and cognitive functions, and determine the predictors of benefit from social problem solving training in 63 patients with schizophrenia. We administered Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Digit Span Test, Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Assessment of Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills (AIPSS). Only BPRS-positive symptoms subscale was negatively related to AIPSS on linear regression analysis. After the completion of the pretest, the patients were randomized to either problem solving training (n = 32) or control groups (n = 31). Patients in training group received 6 weeks problem solving training in-group modality, and those in control group were treated as usual. We readministered AIPSS at the end of 6 weeks. There were significant changes from pretest to posttest on AIPSS-total, AIPSS-receiving skills, and AIPSS-processing skills score in training group but not in control group. The number of correct answers in WCST and CPT hit rate were the predictors of post-training AIPSS scores in training group. Our findings suggest that skill acquisition on social problem solving is related with cognitive flexibility and sustained attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Millet street, Capa, 34390, Istanbul, Turkey. alpucok@superonline.com
authors.forename: Alp
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uçok
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: Zekiye Cetinkaya
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Aysun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dişcigil
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kandemir
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D014888:Wechsler Scales
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents