The effect of reading, writing and math training on the mental state of schizophrenics

Aims: The aim of this study was survey the effect of reading, writing and math training on the mental state of schizophrenics Material and Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 60 patients with schizophrenia at Sina Hospital by using simple sampling method. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of patients undergoing routine treatment (control group) and patients under routine treatment with educational intervention (intervention group) using a table of random numbers. In the intervention group, writing and math training sessions were held for six months, three days a week, each session for a maximum of 1 hour by a trained person of the center. The data were collected using Andersonchr('39')s Positive and Negative Symptoms Questionnaire, and the Mini Mental State Examination. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 18 by using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney and repeated measures analysis of variances. Findings: General scores of positive symptoms (P=0.038), hallucinations (P=0.033), delusions (P=0.023) and formal positive thought disorder (P=0.029) in the third measurement of study were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group. In the case of negative symptoms, in the third measurement, the affective blunting was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (P=0.039). Mini Mental State Examination was also higher in the third measurement in the intervention group than in the control group (P=0.013). Conclusion: Reading and writing and math exercises can be effective in improving the positive and less pronouncedly in negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia as well as in improving the cognitive symptoms of patients.