Content area
Abstract
Traditionally, individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia have been understood to exhibit a variety of behavioral eccentricities as well as comparatively poor social functioning and difficulties in performance on a variety of tasks associated with appropriate functioning in daily living. Research has recently begun to explain the various domains of executive functioning that are encapsulated under this heading and how they relate to overall capabilities. Contemporary research on schizophrenia and executive functioning is in demand. Currently, there seems to be an agreement that individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia perform in an impaired capacity on measures of executive functioning when compared to normative data (Minzenberg et al., 2009). The purpose of this project is to demonstrate that there is a discriminate and valid range of functioning that is statistically comparable to the normative range that has been posited by the current normative standards, and that said range may be a more appropriate gauge as to the functioning level of inpatient schizophrenics than the current norms on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System. Understanding this range can assist clinicians and caregivers in providing more individualized and appropriate care to individuals being treated in an inpatient setting. Overall, the scores in the sample population were found to be weaker, yet followed a statistically similar pattern as the normative sample. Additionally, some significant relationships were found between poor performances on executive functioning measures and inability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs79). These findings may help contribute to an improved functional understanding of this population, and may serve to better inform clinical decisions made in care facilities.
