W HiLE FEW STUDIES of psychopathology have been concerned with psychomotor functions in comparison with the emphasis upon perceptual and verbal processes, some recent findings indicate that this neglect is not justified Peters and Jenkins (8) have used psychomotor problem-solving as a therapeutic approach to chronic schizophrenics H E King (4) has compared the performance of several groups of neuropsychiatric subjects with a group of normals on a series of simple psychomotor tasks, finding a direct relationship between impaired performance and degree of neuropsychiatric illness He concludes on the basis of his results that "the psychomotor capacity appears to be disturbed in a fundamental sense m the behavior disorders As such, it is a reflection of defect at the core, rather than in the periphery, of mind and mental processes" (p 156) Skinner and his associates (2, 6) have investigated the behavior of chronic psychotics with the methods of operant conditioning that were developed for the study of lower organisms A remforced operant response is viewed as a behavioral unit that manipulates part of the environment, representing as such "adjustive behavior " Usmg modified vending machines in small experimental rooms, they have studied the quanitity and regularity of operant behavior of psychotics under a variety of conditions Their most consistent finding 'From the Veterans Adnunistration Hospital, Battle Creek, Michigan
NE of the most severe forms of psychopathology is seen in cases culminating in a "vegetative" level of adjustment characterized by the patients being extremely withdrawn, anergic, and uncommunicative. Standard treatment procedures do not produce any appreciable benefits. It would seem that different, if not novel, therapeutic approaches need to be explored if changes are to be effected with this type of patient. This paper presents an evaluation of a therapeutic method that was devised for chronic schizophrenics with such extreme withdrawal symptoms.Given the label "operant-interpersonal," the method of therapy that is proposed stems from recent work employing learning techniques with schizophrenics. Peters and Jenkins (1954) attempted to retrain chronic schizophrenics by using first simple psychomotor tasks and then increasing their complexity. To increase motivation, subcoma injections of insulin were given with fudge as a reward. Tilton (1956), employing instrumental motor and verbal techniques with even more debilitated patients, found that candy was an adequate reward in
and has been a Consultant to the Veterans Administration since 1949. He was educated at Harvard and Boston Universities and subsequently served as Chief Psychologist of the New Hampshire State Hospital and Mental Hygiene Clinics and Research Psychologist at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. DT. Rabin's earliest work dealt with perseveration in schizophrenia and particularly with test score patterns in schizophrenics. He has also investigated fluctuations in the mental level of such patients, and the effects of electric shock therapy on personality.
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