Adults with serious mental illnesses (such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders) often experience a range of cognitive difficulties (such as memory, problem solving difficulties) that affect their ability to lead meaningful life roles. Cognitive remediation is an intervention to address cognitive difficulties in this group of mental health service users. Its implementation in less well-resourced community-based settings is less well-studied.
Therefore, the aims of the study are:
* To investigate the effects of cognitive remediation on various cognitive skills (such as attention, memory, problem-solving, facial expression recognition, taking others' perspectives etc), for participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders in community mental health settings. * To investigate if factors such as participants' motivation for engagement and social interaction can affect changes in cognitive skills and functional ability.
Participants in the treatment group will attend computer-based cognitive exercises to improve their cognitive skills. They will also participate in group sessions facilitated by therapists to learn how to utilize strategies learned from the computer sessions in their daily lives. Participants in the control group will attend the usual rehabilitation activities in their respective community-based psychiatric rehabilitation centers.
This research study will compare the differences in their cognitive performance, functional ability and recovery immediately after the intervention and 8 weeks later.
A diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th Edition (DSM-V).
Completed at least ten years of formal education with English as the main instructional language. Participants need to be able to converse in English and understand English instructions, as the cognitive remediation program will be conducted in English.
Known neurological diseases and epilepsy, which affects gains from cognitive remediation.
Unable to speak and understand English.
Hospitalized within the past one month.
Global Assessment of Functioning score of 30 or below, as participants who are too low functioning are unable to benefit from a strategy learning approach.
Singapore Institute of Technology
Lead sponsor
Singapore Anglican Community Services
Collaborator