Interventions to Improve Functional Outcome and Persistent Symptoms in Schizophrenia (Mcog)

August 1, 2013 updated by: Dawn Velligan, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Many individuals with schizophrenia continue to hear voices, have false beliefs, and problems with attention, memory planning and everyday functioning even with medication treatment. The process of recovery in schizophrenia involves treating the whole person. This study will test a new Multimodal Cognitive Treatment (Mcog). Mcog works around problems in attention, memory and planning by using supports in the home such as signs, checklists, and alarms to improve everyday functioning. Mcog also helps the individual to examine the evidence for their beliefs and to deal with symptoms like voices that are not completely resolved with medications. We will compare 4 treatments to determine if this combined approach improves both symptoms and functioning for individuals with schizophrenia.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The process of recovery in schizophrenia involves resolving persistent symptoms and improving functional outcomes. Our research groups have demonstrated that using environmental supports in the patient's home to bypass deficits in cognitive functioning in a treatment called Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) improves adherence to medications and functional outcomes in schizophrenia and that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) decreases symptomatology and the negative effect of persisting symptoms upon individuals with this disorder. Data suggest these treatments have modality specific effects. Targeting both functional outcomes and persistent positive symptoms in a multimodal cognitive treatment provided in the patient's home is likely to have the most robust effects on functional outcomes, persistent symptoms and the distress caused by these symptoms for individuals with schizophrenia. We propose to randomize 200 individuals with schizophrenia taking antipsychotic medications to one of four psychosocial treatments for a period of 9 months: 1) CAT, 2) CBT, 3) Multimodal Cognitive Treatment (Mcog; an integrated treatment featuring aspects of both CAT and CBT), and 4) standard treatment as usual (TAU). Patients will be followed for 6 months after treatment is completed. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and every 3 months. Primary outcome variables with include measures of symptomatology and functional outcome. We hypothesize that patients in treatments with CBT as a component (CBT and Mcog) will improve to a greater extent on measures of symptomatology than those randomized to non-CBT treatments (CAT or TAU)and that patients in Mcog will improve to a greater extent than those in single modality CAT. Moreover, we hypothesize that patients in treatments with CAT as a component (CAT and Mcog) will improve to a greater extent on measures of symptomatology than those randomized to non-CAT treatments (CBT or TAU) and that patients in Mcog will improve to a greater extent than those in single modality CAT. The potential public health implications of promoting recovery in schizophrenia through multi-modal treatments are profound. By integrating effective treatments the potential for synergistic improvement scan be assessed. Home visits can be costly. Maximizing the benefits to patients by providing multi-modal treatment on the same home visit is likely to improve a broader range of outcomes with minimal additional cost.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
178

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Males and females who have given informed consent.
  2. Between the ages of 18 and 60.
  3. Diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV criteria as determined on the basis of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis Checklist (SCID-P) Checklist.
  4. Receiving treatment with an oral atypical antipsychotic medication other than clozapine
  5. Able to provide evidence of a stable living environment (individual apartment, family home, board and care facility) with no plans to move in the next year.
  6. Intact visual and auditory ability as determined by a computerized screening battery.
  7. Ability to read at the 5th grade level or higher based upon WRAT score.
  8. Able to understand and complete rating scales and neuropsychological testing.
  9. Delusions or hallucinations at a level of Moderate according to the BPRS. (Score of 4 or higher on items assessing hallucinations, unusual thought content, or suspiciousness.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of significant head trauma, seizure disorder, or mental retardation.
  2. SOFAS scores >70 indicating a high level of social and occupational functioning.
  3. Alcohol or drug abuse or dependence within the past 3 months.
  4. Currently being treated by an ACT team.
  5. History of violence in the past one year period.
  6. Exposure to CAT treatment in that past 2 years.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis
Cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis is a manual-driven collaborative talk-therapy designed to help the individual identify appraisal biases and cognitive distortion, identify alternative explanations for events, and find ways to cope with the distress caused by persistent psychotic symptoms.
Behavioral: Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis
The CBT manual to be used for the present study was based upon the work of Kingdon and Turkington (2005) and Granholm et al., (2005) a group-delivered CBT skills training). Available manuals were modified to improve ease of training and to better accommodate the delivery of the full CBT treatment in the home environment. Supervision will be provided throughout the study by D. Turkington and S. Tai world renowned experts in CBT for psychosis. Training will be held for 1-2 weeks annually and supervision will proceed weekly via SKYPE. All therapists will be certified prior to providing treatment for the trial. Sessions are conducted weekly by master's and doctoral level therapists.
Experimental: Cognitive Adaptation Training
CAT is a manual driven treatment using environmental supports such as signs, alarms, checklists, electronic devices, and the organization of belongings to bypass cognitive and motivational impairments and to cue and sequence adaptive behavior.
Behavioral: Cognitive Adaptation Training
CAT supports are established and maintained on weekly home visits by bachelor's and master's level staff. Regular supervision will be provided by the PI who developed CAT.
Experimental: Multi-modal Cognitive Therapy
Combines Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis and Cognitive Adaptation Training into one home-delivered intervention
Behavioral: Multi-modal Cognitive Therapy
A manual driven intervention combining CBT and CAT. Weekly sessions delivered in the home focus on altering cognitive biases using CBT and bypassing cognitive deficits using environmental supports
Active Comparator: Treatment as Usual
Medication follow up and limited case management provided by the local community mental health center
Other: Treatment as Usual
Standard medication follow up and limited case management

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Psychosis Factor Score
Time Frame: baseline to 9 months
Combines scores on BPRS for hallucinations, unusual thought content, suspiciousness and conceptual disorganization. Mean score varies from 1-7 with higher scores indicating more severe symptomatology
baseline to 9 months
Change in Multnomah Community Ability Scale
Time Frame: Baseline to 9 months
17-item scale assessing a variety of domains of community adjustment including Interference with functioning, Adjustment to living, Social competence, and Behavioral Problems. Higher scores reflect better community functioning.
Baseline to 9 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale
Time Frame: Baseline to 9 months
Examines the degree to which hallucinatory experiences are negative, distressing and disrupt the activities of the individual. The scale above separates how frequently the voices are distressing vs. non-distressing, the intensity of distress when the voices are distressing, the loudness of the voices and the degree of disruption in daily activities in separate items.
Baseline to 9 months
Change in Delusion Rating Scale
Time Frame: Baseline to 9 months
Delusional ideas are rated with respect to the degree of conviction, the amount and duration of preoccupation, the amount and the level of distress experienced and the level of interference with activities.
Baseline to 9 months

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders
Time Frame: Baseline to 9 months
Assesses insight into the illness, specific symptoms and the need for treatment.
Baseline to 9 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2008

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 26, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 1, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 2, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 2, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 1, 2013

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • R01MH082793-03 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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