Validity of a social skills training program for schizophrenic patients

In the 1980's, Robert P. Liberman and his team from UCLA designed the Social Independent Living Skills Modules. Since then, their methods have spread throughout the world and their effectiveness has been demonstrated. It seems that the application of these methods is beginning to disappear and there are practically no publications that support the continuity of these treatments. In this article, the results of the Social Skills Training Program (SSTP) are presented in a sample of 57 schizophrenic patients. The results are evaluated with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) and the Social Behavior Assessment Schedule (SBAS) scale and with the Social Interaction Self-Statements Test (SISST) and AI-F questionnaires. The negative symptoms of the patients improved after the therapeutic intervention. The patients acquired new social roles and their frequency of assertive behavior increased. Their relatives also improved their emotional burden and stress level. In any event, these improvements decreased at 6 months of follow-up without therapeutic intervention.