A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) in adolescents with psychosis or at high risk of psychosis

Abstract

Background: Computer assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) was demonstrated to be efficient in improving cognitive deficits in adults with psychosis. However, scarce studies explored the outcome of CACR in adolescents with psychosis or at high risk.

Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of a computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) program in adolescents with psychosis or at high risk.

Method: Intention to treat analyses included 32 adolescents who participated in a blinded 8-week randomized controlled trial of CACR treatment compared to computer games (CG). Cognitive abilities, symptoms and psychosocial functioning were assessed at baseline and posttreatment.

Results: Improvement in visuospatial abilities was significantly greater in the CACR group than in CG. Other cognitive functions, psychotic symptoms and psychosocial functioning improved significantly, but at similar rates, in the two groups.

Conclusion: CACR can be successfully administered in this population; it proved to be effective over and above CG for the most intensively trained cognitive ability.