EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS
ABSTRACT
This research study deals with the ―Executive Function and Social Adjustment among schizophrenic patients‖. It was mainly aimed to study about executive function as well as its impact on social adjustment among schizophrenic patients by applying a descriptive and cross-sectional method. The executive function of the patients was tested with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Modified Social Adjustment Scale was employed to study the level of social adjustment. Out of 54 patients, majority of them belonged to 30-39 age group and males were in majority (61%). Paranoid Schizophrenia was the leading type of schizophrenia persisted in 83% patients. Majority of patients (57%) had positive symptoms of schizophrenia and 68% had family history of psychotic illness. Types of schizophrenia had significant impact on Non Perseverative Error and Percent Conceptual Level Response scores. Similarly, total duration of illness had significant impact on Total Number of Error, Perseverative Error and Percent Conceptual Level of Response scores. Total Number of Error scores was severely impaired for male (12.1%) than female (9.5%); moderately impaired for male (24.2%) than female (19%). Perseverative Response score was severely impaired for male (27.3%) than female (19%); whereas, male (30.3%) and female (33.3%) had moderate level of impairment on Perseverative Response score. Perseverative Error score of one third of male and female patients were severely impaired. Non-Perseverative Error score was severely impaired only for male (9.1%); while majority of male and female were functioning on average level. Majority of patients had mild to moderate level of impairment on Percentage Conceptual Level Response score. The mean score on social adjustment found to be 6.38±2.62 on Family Unit domain for both sexes indicating a good social adjustment. There was a moderate positive correlation of work outside the home with Total Number of Error (r=0.408, p=0.002); Non Perseverative Error (r=0.482, p=0.000) and Percentage Conceptual Level of Response (r=0.353, p=0.009). Likewise, house work and percentage conceptual level of response were positively correlated (r=0.327, p=0.016). The findings of the present study concluded that most of the schizophrenic patients had impairment in executive functioning, though the degree of impairment was varied which ultimately affected their work performance.
Author’s Keywords: Schizophrenia, Executive Function and Social Adjustment
Author's Name: Namrada Devkota