Efficacy of integrated neurocognitive and social cognitive group therapy for schizophrenia patients: Results of a randomised controlled multi-centre study

Abstract

Background:The NIMH MATRICS initiative established a consensus about separate neurocognitive and social cognitive domains relevant in the treatment of schizophrenia. We designed a cognitive-behavioural group therapy program (INT) covering these treatment targets. INT represents a further development of the cognitive components of Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) and is partly computer based. INT intends to restitute and compensate neurocognitive and social cognitive (dys-)functions with a strong focus on the patients’ daily life context, in facilitating intrinsic motivation and resources.Methods:INT has currently been evaluated in an international multi-centre study in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, which is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. INT is compared with treatment as usual (TAU). INT patients receive 30 therapy sessions twice a week, lasting 90 minutes each. A comprehensive assessment battery is applied before and after therapy and at a 1-year follow-up. 102 outpatients participated in the study.Results:INT is highly accepted by the patients. Only 8% of the patients dropped out of the study. Compared to TAU, INT patients obtain superior outcomes in neurocognitive and social cognitive variables, negative symptoms, insight and social functioning after therapy and at follow-up. Additionally, only the INT group show higher correlations between self-rated deficits in neurocognition and objective psychometric test performances after the treatment phase.Conclusions:Results support INT as a new and effective cognitive remediation approach within a multimodal treatment concept.