Social Cognition and Interaction Training for Improving Social Functioning in People With Schizophrenia
Condition: Schizophrenia
MeSH terms: Schizophrenia
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1

Summary: 
      This study will determine the effectiveness of social cognition and interaction training, a
      manual-based group therapy program, in helping people with schizophrenia improve their social
      cognition and social functioning.
    

Detailed description: 
      Schizophrenia is a serious mental condition that affects approximately 1.1% of adults in the
      United States. People with schizophrenia experience reality perception impairments, which
      most commonly manifest as hallucinations, extreme paranoia, social withdrawal, and disordered
      thinking. Deficits in social functioning are a core feature of schizophrenia. In an effort to
      improve social functioning, there has been growing interest in identifying factors that
      underlie psychosocial impairments. One such identified factor has been neurocognition, but
      treatments that target solely cognitive processes do not always help overall social
      functioning. Social cognition and interaction training (SCIT), a group-based treatment that
      aims to improve both processing social information and functioning, may be an effective
      treatment for enhancing the social skills of people with schizophrenia. This study will
      compare the effectiveness of SCIT versus treatment as usual (TAU) in helping people with
      schizophrenia improve their social cognition and social functioning.

      Participation in this single-blind study will last 11 months. All potential participants will
      undergo initial screening, involving the completion of a few brief tasks testing social
      functioning. Eligible participants will then be randomly assigned to receive SCIT plus TAU or
      TAU alone. Participants assigned to receive SCIT will attend twenty 1-hour weekly group
      sessions over 5 months. During these sessions, participants will learn ways to manage
      emotions, work through problems, and integrate into social situations. Participants assigned
      to TAU alone will meet with their case managers and healthcare provider on an as-needed
      basis. All participants will undergo assessments of social cognition, social functioning, and
      psychotic symptoms prior to treatment, immediately post-treatment, and 6 months after
      treatment. Each assessment will last 3 hours and will include interviews, questionnaires, and
      a variety of tasks testing social skills. Researchers will also contact a family member or
      significant other about the participant's social functioning at the same three assessment
      times noted above.
    

Intervention name(s): Social cognition and interaction training (SCIT); Treatment as usual (TAU)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): SCIT is a group-based treatment that has the goal of improving social cognition and social functioning for individuals with psychotic disorders. SCIT is composed of three phases: emotion training, figuring out situations, and integration. SCIT will be delivered by two therapists in 20 weekly sessions over 5 months.; TAU will involve routine care and meeting with case-managers and healthcare providers on an as-needed basis.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Social Cognition; Group Therapy; Psychosocial Intervention