The Influence of Social Interaction on Cognitive Training for Schizophrenia

In addition to the core features of the condition, individuals with schizophrenia typically exhibit deficits in cognitive functions (Barnett et al., 2010). Such impairments are known to be important determinants of functional outcome (Green et al., 2000; Harvey et al., 2003) and their magnitude is associated with the level of self-care, utilization of hospital services, and burden placed on caregivers (Davidson and Keefe, 1995; Sevy and Davidson, 1995; Martens and Addington, 2001). The cognitive features of schizophrenia are poorly treated with antipsychotics (Liberman, 1994). Cognitive training offers a more promising option. Training interventions have been associated with cognitive improvements including information processing, verbal learning, and executive function (Medalia et al., 1998; Bellucci et al., 2003; McGurk et al., 2005; Sartory et al., 2005). The most recent meta-analysis found that, for individuals with schizophrenia, cognitive training improves cognitive function, psychosocial function, and psychiatric symptom severity (effect sizes of 0.45, 0.42, and 0.18 respectively; Wykes et al., 2011). Such findings highlight the promise of training programs in treating the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.