Social Cognitive Problem Solving Skills in Schizophrenia

Impairment of social functioning has been considered characteristic of schizophrenia. According to current studies, poor social functioning is a prodromal and residual feature of schizophrenia, and people with schizophrenia who have poor social functioning are more vulnerable to relapses and a poor outcome. Social cognitive problem solving (SCPS) has been hypothesized to be related to social functioning. The process of SCPS consists of receiving, processing, and sending skills. To develop a more effective psychiatric rehabilitation program, it will be necessary to investigate the role of neuropsychological f ctors in each skill. This presentation will be focused on the processing skills of SCPS in schizophrenia. The means-ends problem-solving procedure (MEPS) (Platt and Spivack, 1975) was used to assess SCPS. The MEPS is considered capable of assessing one aspect of social problem solving, means-ends thinking. Neuropsychological deficits were examined concurrently. The severity of psychiatric symptoms and general functioning were assessed with the PANSS and GAF, respectively. The results show a statistically significant correlation between the MEPS score and the total score of Idea Fluency Test demonstrated that task modification from responses requiring conversion of viewpoint were related to SCPS. This finding suggests that the ability to generate ideas but to ability to convert stereotyped ways of thinking. Future research should continue to identify factors that contribute to the SCPS ability in schizophrenia.