[Cognitive therapy for schizophrenic patients].
Neurocognitive deficits of schizophrenic patients are assigned to the following three levels of disorders: Information-processing, basic styles of thinking and emotional management. Cognitive interventions are schematically subdivided in direct, indirect and combined ones. Direct interventions are oriented straight at the disorder and contain exactly definable therapeutic steps inside of an experimental procedure. The focus of indirect interventions are the environment of the disorder with the purpose of modification and reorganisation. Combined interventions connect both approaches to get a decrease of the impairments of the symptoms and a long-term stabilization. Today, connections between the pattern of cognitive dysfunctions and the social functioning of schizophrenic patients are investigated. Verbal memory and vigilance seem to be good predictors of the community functioning. Further developments of cognitive therapies have to include multimodal approaches and unspecific therapeutic influences.