Article

Driving is a meaningful occupation which is ascribed to functional
independence in schizophrenia. Although it is estimated that individuals with
schizophrenia have two times more traffic accidents, little research has been
done in this field. Present research explores differences in mental status,
visual working memory and visual organization between drivers and non-drivers
with schizophrenia in comparison to healthy drivers. METHODS: There were three
groups in the study: 20 drivers with schizophrenia, 20 non-driving individuals
with schizophrenia and 20 drivers without schizophrenia (DWS). Visual perception
was measured with Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test and a general cognitive
status with Mini-Mental State Examination. RESULTS: The general cognitive status
predicted actual driving situation in people with schizophrenia. No statistically
significant differences were found between driving and non-driving persons with
schizophrenia on any of the visual parameters tested, although these abilities
were significantly lower than those of DWS. CONCLUSION: The research demonstrates
that impairment of visual abilities does not prevent people with schizophrenia
from driving and emphasizes the importance of general cognitive status for
complex and multidimensional everyday tasks. The findings support the need for
further investigation in the field of car driving for this population - a move
that will considerably contribute to the participation and well-being.
Implication for Rehabilitation Unique approach for driving evaluation in
schizophrenia should be designed since direct applications of knowledge and
practice acquired from other populations are not reliable. This research
demonstrates that visual perception deficits in schizophrenia do not prevent
clients from driving, and general cognitive status appeared to be a valid
determinant for actual driving. We recommended usage of a general test of
cognition such as Mini-Mental State Examination, or conjunction number of
cognitive factors such as executive functions (e.g., Trail Making Test) and
attention (e.g., Continuous Performance Test) in addition to spatial-visual
ability tests (e.g., Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test) for considering driving
status in schizophrenia.

Langue : ANGLAIS