Computer-Assisted Cognitive Remediation in Adolescents with Psychosis or at Risk for Psychosis: A 6-month follow-up.

  1. Sébastien Urben1,*,
  2. Sandrine Pihet1,
  3. Laure Jaugey2,
  4. Olivier Halfon3,
  5. Laurent Holzer2

DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5215.2012.00651.x

Additional Information

Author Information

  1. 1

    Research Unit, University Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lausanne, Switzerland

  2. 2

    Day Care Unit for Adolescents (DCUA), University Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lausanne, Switzerland

  3. 3

    University Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lausanne, Switzerland

* Sébastien Urben, Research Unit, University Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Route du Bugnon 25A, 1011 Lausanne, Suisse Téléphone +41 21 314 74 93 Fax +41 21 314 74 81 E-mail: Sebastien.Urben@chuv.ch

Publication History

  1. Accepted manuscript online: 17 JAN 2012 12:23PM EST

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (292K)

Objective: To investigate short-term outcomes of a computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) for adolescents with psychotic disorders or at high risk for psychosis.

Method: Cognitive abilities and clinical status were assessed at baseline (N=32) and at six months follow-up (N=22) after enrolment in either a CACR (treatment group) or a computer games (control group) program (8 weeks).

Results: With regard to the cognitive abilities, no amelioration was found in the control group while, in the CACR group, significant improvements in inhibition (P = .040) and reasoning (P = .005) were observed. Furthermore, symptom severity decreased significantly in the control group (P = .046) and marginally in the CACR group (P = .088). Improvements in cognitive abilities were not associated with symptoms' amelioration. Finally, increase in reasoning abilities was related to the median effective work time in sessions of CACR (R = .64, P = .024).

Conclusion: At follow-up, enhanced cognitive abilities (reasoning and inhibition, which are necessary for executing higher-order goals or adapting behavior to the ever-changing environment, were reported in adolescents participants of the CACR. Thus, further studies are needed to confirm and extend these interesting results.

Get PDF (292K)