COGNITIVE AND SYMPTOM CORRELATES OF PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING GROUPS

In a study of 19 hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients participa ting in a manualized skills training program, neuropsychological funct ioning was found to be an important mediating variable. Executive func tioning capacity was positively associated with level of participation in the training groups, and deficits in sustained attention together with negative symptoms correlated negatively with overall program atte ndance. Neuropsychological functioning should be considered as an impo rtant assessment domain when identifying patients with minimal require ments to begin skills training.