Processing Speed and Verbal Fluency as Predictors of Functional Disability among Patients with Schizophrenia

Cognitive deficits are the common featnre of schizophrenia and affect the whole fhnetioning of patient. The main aim of the present study is to examine the predictive effect of verbal fluency and processing speed on fhnctional disability in schizophrenia. 30 schizophrenia patients were selected as sample of the study. Processing speed was assessed by digit symbol substitution test, verbal fluency assessed by controlled oral word association test; functional disability assessed through WHO disability assessment schedule. Brief psychiatric rating scale was used to measure severity of illness. Hierarchical regression analysis used to find the relationship between functional disability and processing speed and verbal fluency. The result indicated that processing speed (-.683, p<0.01) and verbal fluency (-.559, p<0.01) age (.402, p<0.05) and education (-.502, p<0.01), duration of illness (.612, p<0.01) and severity of illness (.580, p<0.01) significantly predicted functional disability but gender showed no relationship with functional disability. Cognitive dysfunction atfects the functioning of patients with schizophrenia. This paper may help to understand the role of processing speed and verbal fluency in functioning of the patients and also help to develop intervention programs.