Feasibility of Providing Cognitive Remediation to People With Schizophrenia in a Clinical Network
Condition: Schizophrenia
MeSH terms: Schizophrenia
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4

Summary: 
      This study will test whether a cognitive remediation program to treat people with
      schizophrenia can be successfully implemented in a network of research clinics.
    

Detailed description: 
      Neurocognitive impairments, or problems with thinking and brain function, are a core
      component of schizophrenia. Such impairments, which can range from moderate to severe, are
      strongly associated with decreased benefit from psychiatric rehabilitation and problems with
      treatment adherence, socialization, employment, quality of life, and relapse. Researchers
      believe that the failure of medication to improve cognition may occur because medication
      treatment lacks cognitive stimulation. Cognitive remediation programs are a way to provide
      that stimulation, and they have shown moderate efficacy in improving cognition in people with
      schizophrenia. Implementing these cognitive remediation programs as part of schizophrenia
      treatment has occurred only at individual sites with highly trained research personnel. This
      study will test whether cognitive remediation programs for schizophrenia can be feasibly
      implemented at a network of sites that do not specialize in cognitive remediation research.
      This pilot study will gather preliminary efficacy data, but a larger study is required to
      draw definitive conclusions about treatment effects.

      Participation in this study will last approximately 8 weeks. Participants will be randomly
      assigned to the Posit Science intervention group or the control group. Those in the Posit
      Science group will receive targeted cognitive training (TCT)-40 hours of adaptive computer
      exercises-and participate in a weekly bridging group that helps participants apply cognitive
      skills to everyday contexts. Length of the TCT may vary, depending on the availability of
      participants to complete the exercises. Those in the control group will play commercially
      available video games for the same number of hours and participate in a weekly health and
      wellness group. All participants will undergo assessments at baseline, mid-treatment, and
      post-treatment. Assessments will include self-report questionnaires and clinical interviews.
    

Intervention name(s): Targeted cognitive training; Computer control; Bridging groups; Health and wellness groups
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Adaptive computer exercises that systematically increase in task difficulty as each participant's performance ability improves; Commercially available computer games selected based on quality, ability to hold interest, and lack of disturbing content; Weekly group meetings that help participants apply their cognitive skills to everyday functioning, promote group identity, and promote socialization; Weekly group meetings that teach participants health and wellness skills
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Schizoaffective Disorder