Treating problem-solving deficits on an acute care psychiatric inpatient unit

Neuropsychological deficits in problem-solving are commonly found in patien ts with schizophrenia and severe affective disorders. However, in an acute care setting, treatment efforts do not typically target these deficits, eve n though they can impede recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the effecti veness of short-term problem-solving remediation in acutely ill psychiatric inpatients. Twenty-eight psychiatric inpatients identified as having a ver bal problem-solving deficit received 6 h of either verbal problem-solving r emediation or placebo instruction. Before and after treatment a nurse rated the patient's psychiatric status and the patient completed Verbal and nonv erbal problem-solving tests, and a self-report rating of symptoms and abili ty to cope with symptoms. Both groups of patients improved on the measure o f verbal problem solving, but those receiving problem-solving remediation i mproved significantly more. Both groups made symptomatic improvement, but t he patients receiving problem-solving remediation made significantly more i mprovement on the measure of coping ability and the nurses rated them as mo re improved, both psychiatrically and with regard to coping skills. Verbal problem-solving deficits are responsive to short-term remediation in an acu te care setting, and treatment effects may generalize to improve ability to cope with psychiatric symptoms. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.