DISTRACTIBILITY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

This study examined the effects of neuroleptic medication on the alloc ation of attentional resources to distracting stimuli in patients with schizophrenia. Twenty-five patients were tested twice (medication-fre e and after medication stabilization) on the Identical Pairs version o f the Continuous Performance Test under both distraction and no-distra ction conditions. Sixteen patients were chronically ill adults and nin e patients were young neuroleptic-naive patients in the early stages o f illness. Results indicated that neuroleptic treatment did not improv e distractibility for either group and that both groups were comparabl y distractible. These findings suggest that medication does not improv e the misallocation of attention to distracting stimuli in patients wi th schizophrenia.