Motivation deficits are known to be a crucial feature of schizophrenia. Several studies had supported the importance of motivation as it had been linked to worse neurocognition performance, functioning, and outcomes in schizophrenia patients. Self-determination theory had provided an important explanatory framework for understanding why individuals pursue specific goals and behaviors. SDT has been used as a basis for understanding motivational deficits in schizophrenia, the two types of motivation being extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. The findings highlighted that schizophrenic patients pay more attention to extrinsically rewarding experiences. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation to do something just for the pleasure or satisfaction you get from performing the action. It is activated when the senses of significance, competence, progress and choice of action undertaken or to be undertaken are present. MI can only occur for intrinsically interesting activities. MI can only occur for intrinsically interesting activities. Schizophrenic patients present motivation disorders, often the intrinsic motivation criterion is not satisfied due to reduced processing of motivational meaning; most tasks will not be intrinsically motivating. For people with schizophrenia, only stronger than normal environmental cues are needed to help them process motivational meaning and engage in desired behavior. Therefore, interventions based on extrinsic motivation have demonstrated effectiveness. Perceived competence, being motivated behavior towards knowledge, skill or learning, is a central component of MI and a strong predictor of high levels of motivation in education...... half of the paper.. ....reduce treatment defaults and medication non-compliance. Works Cited Silverstein, S. M. (2010). Bridging the gap between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in the cognitive remediation of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin,36(5), 949-956.Gard, D.E., Fisher, M., Garrett, C., Genevskij, A., & Vinogradov, S. (2009). Motivation and its relationship to neurocognition, social cognition, and functional outcome in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 115(1), 74-81. Gard, D. E., Sanchez, A. H., Starr, J., Cooper, S., Fisher, M. , Rowlands, A., & Vinogradov, S. (2014). Using self-determination theory to understand motivation deficits in schizophrenia: The “why” of motivated behavior. Schizophrenia Research. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuit: Human needs and behavioral self-determination. Psychological investigation,11(4), 227-268.