Cognitive Remediation Program for Family Caregivers in Schizophrenia

Summary

Cognitive impairments are extremely common in schizophrenia and strongly predict deficit in daily functioning, the poor managing medication and multiple hospitalizations. Cognitive remediation is recognized to have an impact on cognitive impairments by engaging preserved cognitive functions or by implementing environmental supports that sustain independent living.

Pr. Velligan (University of San Antonio) developed and tested a manualized intervention, called Cognitive Adaptation Training. In this program, trained mental health specialists implement compensatory technique such as environmental supports in the individual's living environment to live more independently and achieve greater self-sufficiency.

However, implementing this program needs a lot of professionals and time to maintain CAT effects. This type of intervention is not often done in community care and explains the large number of patients who are dependent on family members for daily living activities. Training family members in this form of intervention would be an appropriate way to resolve these issues. Families expressed a real interest in these types of home-support strategies that CAT offers. Recently, Pr. Kidd and Pr. Velligan developed a CAT version for families and created a manual accessible to people without any knowledge of cognitive deficit. This manual helps families to select specific cognitive-adaptative strategies with their relative to achieve targeted goals. Thism ethod has been translated in French.

The aim of this study was to examine whether Web-based family Cognitive Adaptation Training can improve functioning, medication adherence and negative symptoms for individuals with schizophrenia and reduce burden for family members.

A total of 60 Dyads consisting of one caregiver and one supported individual with schizophrenia will be randomized to either a Web-based family Cognitive Adaptation Training or an Internet-based control condition. Primary outcome measured will be the score on the life skills profile. Secondary outcomes will include the global score of the Zarit burden Interview, PANSS negative score, and medication adherence.

This type of intervention is expected to be developed in territorial area where professionals are not trained to cognitive remediation and therefore substantially lowers the barrier to the deployment of cognitive intervention with other psychosocial interventions for individual with schizophrenia and their caregivers.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Adaptation Training for Caregivers (CAT Famille)

Family CAT manual, with a module each week to be read according to the patient's objectives and a 15-minute webcam feedback by the psychologist.

BEHAVIORAL

Usual Care

Psycho-education manual, with a weekly reading module and a 15-minute webcam feedback by the psychology student.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Montpellier

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Stéphane Raffard, PU · CHU Montpellier ([email protected])

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-02-06

Primary Completion

2020-12-31

Completion

2021-03-31

Countries

• France

Study Locations