A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials of social skills training for schizophrenia was conducted.
Outcome measures from 22 studies including 1,521 clients were categorized according to a proximal–
distal continuum in relation to the presumed site of action of skills training interventions, with content
mastery tests and performance-based measures of skills assumed to be most proximal, community
functioning and negative symptoms intermediate, and general symptoms and relapse most distal. Results
reveal a large weighted mean effect size for content-mastery exams (d 1.20), a moderate mean effect
size for performance-based measures of social and daily living skills (d 0.52), moderate mean effect
sizes for community functioning (d 0.52) and negative symptoms (d 0.40), and small mean effect
sizes for other symptoms (d 0.15) and relapse (d 0.23). These results support the efficacy of social
skills training for improving psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia.