Original article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2007;10(1):62-70.

가상현실 프로그램을 이용하여 평가한 정신분열병 환자의 사회적 상황 문제해결 기능의 특성

Jae Young Chun, MD1, Jae-Jin Kim, MD, PhD1,2, Hee Jeong Jang, MA2, So Young Kim, BA2, Chan Hyung Kim, MD, PhD1,2, Jaehun Kim, MS3, Kwanguk Kim, MS3, Jeonghun Ku, PhD3, In Young Kim, MD, PhD3 and Sun Il Kim, PhD3

Abstract

Objectives:We developed an easily applicable tool for an assessment of problem solving function in various social situations using the virtual reality technique. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of patients with schizophrenia for problem- solving in the social situations.
Methods:Participants were 30 patients of schizophrenia and 30 normal controls who carried out four virtual reality tasks including decision-making after the situational change, getting on an appropriate bus, making judgment against an inadequate request, and coping in the negatively emotional situation. Performances were compared between two groups, and were correlated with various clinical variables.
Results:The patients with schizophrenia considered that mother’s asking was less important than meeting with a friend (p<.05), and selected a deviated choice rather than a flexible solving (p<.01). The patients with schizophrenia made significantly less appropriate choices in the task of getting on the bus (p<.01). The patient with schizophrenia felt more intense negative emotion than the control group on the task of copying in the negatively emotional situation (p<.05).
Conclusion:These results indicate that the patients with schizophrenia have a deficit of problem-solving function in the social situations. Concreteness attributed to cognitive inflexibility seems to be an important factor for the deficits. (Korean J Schizophr Res 2007;10:62-70)

Key Words: Schizophrenia,Virtual reality,Problem-solving function,Social skill.