Social problem solving in schizophrenia

The recent literature on social skills training has placed an increasing emphasis on the role of cognitive factors in social failure, as opposed to deficits in motoric skills. It has been hypothesized that schizophrenic patients are markedly deficient in social problem-solving abilities, and several programs have been developed to teach problem-solving skills. Despite high face validity, there is little empirical support for these training programs or the problem-solving model on which they are based. Research on information processing and problem solving in nonpatient populations is discussed, and it is concluded that the model used in these treatment programs is not a good representation of the problem-solving process. In particular, means-ends analysis is not an appropriate strategy for dealing with most interpersonal problems and conflicts. The difficulties experienced by schizophrenic patients in social situations might be due to a number of factors other than deficits in problem-solving skill, including sensitivity to negative affect and disordered communication. It is concluded that further research on problem-solving training programs is clearly warranted but that the validity of the problem-solving model and the utility of the training is uncertain.