What the Nose Knows: Hedonic Capacity, Psychosocial Interventions and Outcomes in Schizophrenia

July 7, 2025 updated by: Raquelle Mesholam-Gately, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
This project proposes to conduct the first study of the predictive utility of olfactory hedonic measurement for targeted psychosocial rehabilitation in schizophrenia. The information gathered from the project is of considerable public health relevance, in that, through simple, reliable olfactory assessment, it will provide knowledge about which individuals are most likely to benefit from these psychosocial interventions. Such information is crucial for tailoring existing interventions and developing new approaches to optimize outcomes in schizophrenia.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

134

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. age 18 to 65;
  2. DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. the presence of a current organic brain syndrome;
  2. a current and severe substance use disorder (DSM-5);
  3. intellectual disability (DSM-5)

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: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cognitive Enhancement Therapy
CET is a comprehensive manualized cognitive remediation program designed to maximize gains in social functioning by integrating computer-based training to enhance neurocognition with group-based exercises to improve social cognition.
CET's group-based exercises are delivered for 1.5 hours each week in a group of 6-8 participants led by a clinician and an assistant, for one year. During each of three modules (basic concepts, social cognition, CET applications), the groups focus on acquisition of adult social milestones in perspective-taking, social context appraisal, and other aspects of social cognition, with psychoeducational lectures, homework assignments, and in-group exercises. Weekly supervision sessions for the clinician trainers will include review of how patients respond to the different demands of computer-based training and group-based exercises and guidance about improving engagement in both.
Active Comparator: Social Skills Training
The HOPES social rehabilitation program uses the principles of SST (modeling, role playing, positive and corrective feedback, homework assignments, in vivo skills practice), designed to improve both psychosocial functioning and preventive health.
The psychosocial component involves weekly skills training classes delivered over one year, with modules including "Communicating Effectively," "Making and Keeping Friends," "Making the Most of Leisure Time," "Healthy Living," "Using Medications Effectively," and "Making the Most of a Health Care Visit" (Pratt et al., 2008). Participants attend two sessions each week (normally morning and afternoon of the same day): a 90-minute session focused on a specific skill and a 60-minute session in which the specific skill is used in role-play exercises.
Other Names:
  • HOPES

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Social Adjustment Scale II
Time Frame: Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Measure of ability to engage socially in community settings
Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Change in Heinrich Quality of Life Scale
Time Frame: Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Measure of quality of life
Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Change in Social Skills Performance Assessment rating scale
Time Frame: Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Social skills measure using role plays
Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in NIH Toolbox® for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIH Toolbox)
Time Frame: Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Neurocognition
Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Change in Managing Emotions subscale of the Meyer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT)
Time Frame: Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months
Social cognition
Measurement at 0, 6, 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Collaborators

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 (Actual)

September 2, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 2, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 9, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

March 16, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 10, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 7, 2025

Last Verified

July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2022P000199
  • R21MH127479-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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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