Everyday action planning in schizophrenia

Abstract

Planning of everyday tasks was examined in 48 inpatients with schizophrenia and 26 healthy controls. Participants were administered the Naturalistic Action Test, which requires completion of three everyday tasks (e.g., make toast and coffee). Planning variables, including planning behaviours (e.g., gathering items before engaging in a subtask) and planning time (e.g., period between task instructions and first action) were coded to evaluate forward thinking in these tasks. Results showed that planning variables were reliably coded. Controls demonstrated more planning behaviours than participants with schizophrenia; however, this difference was accounted for by education. People with schizophrenia spent significantly less time planning when planning time was analysed as a proportion of the total time on tasks. Planning variables were related to the ability to accomplish everyday task steps and to perform everyday task steps accurately. Together these findings suggest that rehabilitation strategies that emphasise both planning time and planning behaviours may facilitate everyday functioning in people with schizophrenia.

Away from home: the brain of the wandering mind as a model for schizophrenia

“…Moreover, the increased mind-wandering in SZs was associated with a stronger manifestation of positive psychotic symptoms, indicating that patients' exorbitant diversion to their inner experience from reality was associated with a severer presence of inner speech and delusional beliefs. In the CNT, most mind-wandering thoughts are self-related, (Baird et al, 2011;Smallwood et al, 2011) and directed toward planning and preparing for upcoming events (Baird et al, 2011;Stawarczyk et al, 2011;Stawarczyk et al, 2012); however, these functions are known to be impaired in SZs (Lysaker and Lysaker, 2010;Seter et al, 2011;Waters et al, 2012). Thus, we speculate that the dysfunctional properties of mind-wandering in SZs might be mediated by deficits in neural level.…”

Planning and problem-solving training for patients with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial

“…Planning and problem-solving have received increased interest, because recent developments in the assessment of executive functions with high ecological validity have been applied to the study of patients with schizophrenia [23,24]. Interestingly, planning performance on tasks with real-world approximating interface and complexity has been associated with functional outcome and related proxy measures [25-27]. This includes overall performance on the naturalistic action test, community functioning and global assessment of functioning.…”

Esquizofrenia, Atividades Instrumentais De Vida Diária E Funções Executivas: Uma Abordagem Qualitativa

“…O planejamento é uma etapa fundamental para alcançar sucesso na realização de um objetivo. Definido como a capacidade de pensar no futuro, consiste em escolher as estratégias mais eficientes, determinar os passos e organizá-los em sequência, a fim de concluir uma tarefa com êxito (SETER et al, 2011). Uma condição intrínseca, tanto para o planejamento quanto para a execução das atividades, é a organização.…”

“…Assim, os resultados apresentados corroboram com diversos estudos (HADAS-LIDOR et al, 2001;KLUWE-SCHIAVON et al, 2013;LAWS;PATEL;TYSON, 2008;LIPSKAYA;JARUS;KOTLER, 2011;SETER et al, 2011), no que diz respeito à relação entre FE e funcionalidade, ou seja, que problemas no funcionamento executivo incidem diretamente no padrão de execução de atividades cotidianas, como também estão associados a qualidade de vida e autonomia de pessoas com esquizofrenia (EVANS et al, 2004).…”

“…Estudos têm relatado que a disfunção executiva é um dos fatores atuantes nos déficits ocupacionais de pessoas com esquizofrenia, em casa e na comunidade, como também interfere na obtenção de resultados positivos nos processos de reinserção social (BARCH;CEASER, 2012;BAUM;KATZ, 2010;CLARK;WARMAN;LYSAKER, 2010;GREENWOOD et al, 2008;HADAS-LIDOR et al, 2001;KLUWE-SCHIAVON et al, 2013;WHITNEY;DAVIS, 2006;SETER et al, 2011). As Funções Executivas (FE) são ações flexíveis e adaptativas do comportamento presentes na interação do indivíduo com o mundo, de maneira intencional.…”