title: Intrinsic motivation and metacognition as predictors of learning potential in patients with remitted schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous research has suggested that neurocognitive functioning predicts best the potential of patients with schizophrenia to acquire newly learned material, which, in turn may impact patients' social functioning. Recent studies have also shown that intrinsic motivation and metacognitive abilities play a decisive role in social functioning in schizophrenia. Accordingly, the present study sought to examine the relationship between intelligence, motivation, metacognition, and learning during a cognitive remediation experimental training. We hypothesized that metacognition and intrinsic motivation would have a strong relationship and independently predict learning potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with schizophrenia who fulfilled the criteria of functional remission were recruited. In a pre-training-post experimental design, patients' learning potential was assessed using previously defined cognitive remediation training for WCST. Intrinsic motivation was examined using Intrinsic Motivation Inventory for schizophrenia; mastery, a domain of metacognition, was measured using the Metacognitive Assessment Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metacognition significantly correlated with subdomains of intrinsic motivation. Patients with higher intrinsic motivation and preserved metacognition improved more in the learning paradigm compared to poorly motivated patients and patients with reduced metacognitive abilities. In particular, "mastery" was determined as an independent predictor of learning potential.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motivation and metacognition are important predictors of learning in schizophrenia. Psychological interventions in schizophrenia may therefore consider incorporating techniques to stimulate metacognitive and motivational abilities as well as developing individualized training programs.
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventative Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Alexandrinenstrasse 1, Bochum, Germany. cumhur.tas@rub.de
authors.forename: Cumhur
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: Elliot C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Aysen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esen-Danaci
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lysaker
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brüne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology