Social Cognition Training for Individuals with Schizophrenia: A Review of Targeted Interventions

Social cognitive impairment is a potential target for intervention to improve functional outcome in individuals with schizophrenia and there is growing evidence showing the feasibility of improving social cognition in schizophrenia. We briefly describe the current concept of social cognition, its impairment in schizophrenia, and the relationship to social dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. We review five extant treatment programs specifically focusing on social cognitive ability without other intervention components. The initial validation studies on these interventions have demonstrated promising results, suggesting that targeted interventions on social cognition can enhance social cognition in schizophrenia. Finally, we also describe the unanswered issues and directions for future studies.