Efficacy of conversational skills training of schizophrenic patients in Sweden and Norway

Abstract

A structured method of conversational skills training was applied to ten Swedish outpatients (mean age 45) and five Norwegian inpatients (mean age 26), all with chronic schizophrenia. Conversational skills were assessed before and after training through video-taped standardized role-plays. Patients improved substantially and to approximately the same extent regardless of age, sex, chronicity, symptoms (BPRS), nationality, or being in- or outpatients. The older Swedish outpatients needed more motivational work before they were willing to enrol in the training program, in contrast to the younger Norwegian inpatients. Improvement was not mediated by symptom reduction; thus, substantial training effects can be attained for a wide range of schizophrenic patients.