Cognitive deficits are known to be a core feature of schizophrenia and seem to become manifest in the prodromal or Ultra-High Risk (UHR) state of psychosis. The cognitive deficits are known to pose a critical barrier to functional recovery. Hence it is of vital importance to find intervention strategies that can alleviate these cognitive deficits and consequently improve daily functioning, and quality of life, as well as the prognosis for UHR-patients. The investigators will examine whether: * Cognitive remediation therapy will be superior to standard treatment in improving cognitive functioning in UHR- patients (null hypothesis: No difference between the two groups). * Cognitive remediation therapy will be superior to standard treatment in improving psychosocial functioning and clinical symptoms in UHR-patients (null hypothesis: No difference between the two groups).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
146
Neurocognition will be trained using the NEAR model (Medalia et al. 2003), whereas the training of social cognitive skills will be by use of the SCIT manual (Social Cognition and Interaction Training) developed by Roberts et al. 2014. The intervention consists of 24 group sessions taking place once a week (two hours) and additional neurocognitive training at home. Furthermore, there will be a total of 12 individual sessions aiming at bridging the cognitive training to the everyday functioning of the patients.
Patients allocated to the control condition are free to choose whatever standard treatment they are offered by the clinicians managing their treatment. Usually standard treatment consists of regular contact to health professionals in the in- and outpatient facilities in Copenhagen, Denmark, and encompass different kinds of supportive counselling.
Mental Health Centre Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS)
BACS will be used to assess changes in cognition at the cessation of treatment at (6 months) and 12 months post baseline.
Time frame: 6 and 12 months
Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP)
Time frame: 6 and 12 months
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Expanded Version (BPRS-E)
Time frame: 6 and 12 months
Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)
Time frame: 6 and 12 months
The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
Time frame: 6 and 12 months
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