The Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test can predict social functioning among schizophrenic patients treated with clozapine

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find out whether clinical symptoms, such as positive and negative symptoms, or cognitive problems, such as impairment in memory, are predictive of social outcome among patients with schizophrenia and treated with clozapine in the long-term. METHODS: Twelve subjects with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia treated with clozapine were recruited from an inpatient rehabilitation psychiatry unit. Subjects were assessed at baseline, and 6, 12 and 24 months, using symptoms measures, the Social Behaviour Scale ( SBS) and the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test ( RBMT), which tests episodic memory. Three multivariate stepwise regression models were created with SBS at 6, 12 and 24 months score as dependent variable, and the other measures at baseline as independent variables. RESULTS: The only significant contribution on social functioning in each model was made by the RBMT, which was therefore the only significant predictor of social functioning in all models. CONCLUSIONS: The authors discuss the importance of episodic memory in the prediction of social functioning.