Schizophrenia Research Trends

In: Schizophrenia Research Trends ISBN 13: 978-1-60021-746-3Editor: Konstance V. Almann, pp. 163-182© 2008 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.Chapter VITHE ASSOCIATION OF VERBAL LEARNINGDEFICITS WITH UNAWARENESS OFMENTAL DISORDER: IMPLICATIONSFOR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENTSIN SCHIZOPHRENIAMarek Nieznański 2 , Agnieszka Chojnowska 2 , Witold Duński 2 , MonikaCzerwińska 2 and Sławomir Walczak 21 Institute of Psychology, University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Warsaw, Poland2 Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, PolandABSTRACTIn recent decades, evidence has accumulated that cognitive impairments are a centralfeature of schizophrenic disorder. Many research findings have indicated that cognitiveimpairments limit the rate of improvement in various kinds of psychologicalinterventions for schizophrenic patients. The lack of awareness of mental disorder isanother important correlate of patients' response to treatment, compliance and prognosis.In our study we hypothesized that schizophrenic patients' ability to be aware of the illnessis dependent on more basic ability to directly acquire verbal information, in particularinformation given throughout treatment interventions. Twenty-seven outpatients withlong illness duration were rated on the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder(SUMD) and assessed on verbal learning and memory test. We obtained severalsignificant correlations indicating the presence of the relationship between "learningpotential" and insight about psychosis. Afterwards, some of the patients participated in12 sessions of cognitive training and/or 12 sessions of psychoeducation. The2 Corresponding author's address: Marek Nieznański, Ph.D.; Al. KEN 26 m. 181; 02-797 Warszawa, POLANDE-mail: mnieznanski@wp.pl