Differential performance of job skills in schizophrenia: An experimental analysis

One approach to improving competitive employment rates among persons with schizophrenia is to match people to jobs that fit their work abilities. In this study, 120 stable outpatients with schizophrenia were randomized to receive work skills training or occupational therapy and tested on 3 measures of entry level work skills. Participants who received training on the work tasks performed better than their counterparts who received occupational therapy, with the most robust differences noted on the task that least burdened verbal learning and memory. The results of this study suggest that one predictor of individuals' vocational success is the cognitive demands of the work tasks.