COGNITIVE SKILL LEARNING AND SCHIZOPHRENIA - IMPLICATIONS FOR COGNITIVE REMEDIATION

The ability to acquire a motor and cognitive skill was investigated in 26 patients with schizophrenia and 26 normal participants using repea ted testing on the Tower of Toronto puzzle. Seven patients with defect ive performance were retested using additional trials and immediate fe edback designed to facilitate problem solving. A component analysis of performance was used based on J. R. Anderson's (1987) model of cognit ive skill learning. Patients exhibited a performance deficit on both m otor and cognitive skills. However, their acquisition rate was similar to that of normal participants on most parameters, indicating that sk ill learning suffered little or no impairment. Performance deficit was accounted for by poor problem-solving ability, explicit memory, and g eneral intellectual capacities. It was remediable in some, but not all , patients. Remediation failure was also related to severe defects of cognitive functions.