LEARNING MEDICATION SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - RELATIONSHIPS WITH COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND PSYCHIATRIC-SYMPTOMS

Previous research has shown that the psychosocial skill learning of patients with schizophrenia is associated with several aspects of information processing. These processes may limit the effectiveness of skills training. The contributions of visual vigilance, verbal memory, conceptual flexibility, and psychiatric symptoms to medication self-management skill learning were examined in 30 subjects with schizophrenia. Results showed that skill learning was significantly associated with recall memory and visual vigilance but not with conceptual flexibility. Additional analyses showed that skill learning was not related to psychotic symptoms; nonsignificant trends were found with an index of negative symptoms. These findings may help clinical investigators develop cognitive rehabilitation strategies that facilitate psychosocial skill learning for this population.