Card-sort performance and syndromes of schizophrenia

The performance of subgroups of schizophrenic patients on the Wisconsin Card Sort Test was investigated. Factor analyses of positive and negative symptom ratings confirmed that ratings described three groups similar to those reported by several other researchers. These symptom groups were labeled psychomotor poverty, cognitive disorganization, and reality distortion. Coaching and incentives resulted in significant improvement in the card-sort performance for patients characterized by symptoms of psychomotor poverty and reality distortion. Patients with symptoms of disorganization, however, had impaired ability to improve card-sort performance after coaching and incentives. Results indicate that symptoms of disorganization appear to differentiate learners from nonlearners on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and may be correlated with different underlying deficits.