Abstract
A cognitive training program has been developed to provide cognitive remediation to Indian patients with schizophrenia. The effectiveness of the developed cognitive training program is evaluated through a randomized, controlled trial for 3 months, 4 days per week. After inclusion–exclusion, 29 chronic patients were randomized into cognitive training (CT) and treatment as usual (TAU) group. Neuropsychological and psychosocial functional assessments were done before and after 3 months of cognitive training on the developed program. The two-way interaction between time and group factors emerged to be significant with CT group exhibiting significant change over time in sustained attention-time (p = 0.020, F[1,27] = 6.163, η2 = 0.186), speed of processing (p = 0.040, F[1,27] = 4.653, η2 = 0.147), AVLT-immediate (p = 0.010, F[1,27] = 7.700, η2 = 0.222), delayed recall (p = 0.010, F[1,27] = 7.737, η2 = 0.223), and visual learning and memory-immediate recall (p = 0.014, F[1,27] = 6.852, η2 = 0.202). Also, the CT group showed significant improvement in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores. However, no significant improvements in Positive and Negative Symptoms (PANSS) and brief Social Occupational Functioning Scale-(SOFS) scores were present. The outcome of this study shows that cognitive improvement through a tablet-based cognitive training program is feasible and effective in treating cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Director, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh and Director, UIET, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, for providing research facilities to carry out this research work. The authors thank Kuldeep Kaur for assisting in recording auditory task instructions included in the cogbrain program.
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The first author was supported by University Grants Commission (UGC), India, by providing UGC-BSR Ph.D. research scholarship-F-7–379/2012 (BSR).
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All the authors have contributed in the conceptualization and design of study. Furthermore, screening of participants as per ICD-10 was done by Bir Singh Chavan and Priti Arun. Jaskirat Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Savita Gupta, and Damanjeet Kaur undertook the development and testing of Cogbrain program. The statistical analysis of the results was done by Jaskirat Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, and Savita Gupta. Cognitive training and neuropsychological assessments were undertaken by Archna Sharma and Navneet Kaur. All authors have proof read the manuscript.
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Singh, J., Singh, S., Chavan, B.S. et al. Efficacy of Cognitive Training Program Given to Patients with Schizophrenia Using Computer Tablets: a Preliminary Study. J Cogn Ther 16, 40–57 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00156-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00156-2