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Social Problem-Solving Interventions in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

  • Chapter
A Clinical Guide for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenic diagnoses implicitly reflect ineffective interpersonal behavior and its consequences (Tisdelle & St. Lawrence, 1986). Competent social functioning involves the use of “identifiable, learned behaviors that individuals use in interpersonal situations to obtain or maintain reinforcement from others in their environment” (Kelly, 1982, p. 3). These global definitions of social competence subsume qualitatively different skills such as assertion, conversational skill, and interpersonal problem-solving adequacy. Competence levels for each skill subset may not correlate within individuals or be consistent across situations (Kelly, 1982). Thus, social competency is a multidimensional construct that needs to be further subdivided into specific behavioral skill units and components. Interpersonal problem solving is one subset of social competence with emotional and behavioral relevance for schizophrenia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, 39217, USA

    Janet S. St. Lawrence

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi, 39216, USA

    Janet S. St. Lawrence

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  1. Janet S. St. Lawrence
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Pennsylvania at EPPI, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Alan S. Bellack

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St. Lawrence, J.S. (1989). Social Problem-Solving Interventions in the Treatment of Schizophrenia. In: Bellack, A.S. (eds) A Clinical Guide for the Treatment of Schizophrenia. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-8979-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-8979-9_12

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