Implementing Action-Based Cognitive Remediation for Transdiagnostic Cognitive Difficulties in a Tertiary Mental Health Hospital

Summary

Psychiatric conditions are each defined by different set of symptoms, however, they often share common characteristics such as impairments in cognitive and social functioning. These impairments can cause significant distress and disrupt daily functioning by preventing individuals from actively participating in school or work, maintaining healthy relationships with others, and engaging in everyday activities independently. The goal of this clinical trial is to examine if action-based cognitive remediation (ABCR) therapy, a type of cognitive training program, works to treat cognitive impairments in participants with psychiatric disorders.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Whether the intervention will improve the thinking skills of participants with different types of psychiatric conditions
* Whether the intervention will improve social skills and work performance
* Can this program be easily used in a regular hospital, and do the people who take part in it find it helpful and worth their time
* Whether the improvements from the intervention last for a long time after the training is over.

Researchers will compare how much the thinking skills of participants change during an 8-week waiting period (where they get no treatment) to how much they change during the 8-week training program to see if the training makes a bigger difference in helping them think and live better.

Participants will :

* Complete a series of questionnaires on memory, thinking skills, and mental health at the beginning of the study
* Wait 8 weeks without any intervention or training
* Complete the series of questionnaires again
* Complete an 8-week training intervention of ABCR where they will use special computer programs to practice real-life skills and tasks like planning a meal or making an appointment
* Complete the series of questionnaires and an additional structured interview to assess acceptability and feasibility of the intervention.
* 3 month later, complete questionnaires for a final time.

Conditions

• Psychiatric Disorders
• Depression - Major Depressive Disorder
• Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
• Anxiety and Mood Disorders
• Bipolar and Related Disorders
• PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Action-Based Cognitive Remediation

Action-Based Cognitive Remediation (ABCR) is a type of cognitive remediation therapy, an intervention that focuses on mitigating cognitive deficits to enhance everyday functioning through behavioural learning strategies. The goal of ABCR is to increase real-world transferability of cognitive skills onto daily functioning through group discussions and computerized exercises. ABCR programs typically last 10 weeks with 2-hour sessions usually twice per week. Participants get placed into groups of 4-6 people with two therapists. Each session involves computer-based exercises and group discussion of cognitive strategies related to the theme of the day. Participants then role-play everyday functional tasks (e.g., meal planning, scheduling appointments) that reflect the focus of the session. Sessions conclude by linking content to individual goals and identifying cognitively challenging daily activities to practice between sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-01

Primary Completion

2031-05-01

Completion

2031-05-01