 The current CDA proposal will test a group-based treatment based on established motivational enhancement MI techniques, augmented with cognitive-behavioral approaches, compared to an active control group treatment, for improving motivational negative symptoms in Veterans with schizophrenia. I will assess the efficacy of MI with measures from two outcome domains: 1 negative symptoms clinical ratings and 2 functional outcomes real-world improvements in social, instrumental, and independent living. I will assess the relationship between these outcomes and neurophysiological biomarkers pupillometry and electroencephalography EEG. Participants will be randomly assigned to the MI treatment or a control treatment for weekly 1-hour sessions for 12 weeks. The assessment battery will be administered at baseline, at completion of treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. The investigators will enroll 60 Veterans with schizophrenia that are low functioning and have high negative symptoms across the 4 years of the study. 