WHAT IS THIS STUDY ABOUT? -   Impairments in daily functioning are among the most debilitating and treatment resistant features of persons with schizophrenia who reside in the community.  These impairments seem to be attributable to deficits in neurocognition and social cognition, and current medications are only partially beneficial in helping these deficits.  In this controlled clinical trial, the efficacy of 4 psychosocial treatments will be evaluated.  This study will contribute to the development of more comprehensive treatment programs for daily community functioning.

WHO WOULD QUALIFY?  -

• Clinically stable patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia / schizoAffective disorder

• Males & females between the ages of 18-60

• No evidence of substance dependence in the past 6 months

• No history of head injury with loss of consciousness

• No history of seizures or other neurological disorders

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO? -

• Treatment Sessions - (24 - 1 hour sessions)

  • Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive 24 sessions of one of the four following treatments 1) social cognitive training 2) basic cognitive remediation 3) a combined social cognitive and basic cognitive intervention 4) a control condition of standard psychosocial skills training.  All groups will meet in one-hour sessions held twice a week over the course of 12 weeks in small groups of 3-6.

• Assessments - (4.5 - 8.5 hours)

  • You will be interviewed on topics of personal, emotional, and symptom history, etc.

  • Your brain's electrical activity will be recorded in response to looking at objects and listening to sounds (electroencephalogram; EEG)

  • You will be asked to identify emotions in pictures, on audiotape, and on videos of people interacting

  • You will be asked to perform learning and memory tests.

  • You will be asked to demonstrate daily living skills.

COMPENSATION?

• Depending on the number of sessions completed, participants can earn up to $440        ($15 per hour for assessment sessions, $10 per group training session)

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR QUESTIONS OR ENROLLMENT

• Christen Waldon, Project Recruiter (310) 478-3711 ext. 49234  cwaldon@mednet.ucla.edu

• Michael F. Green, Ph.D., Principal Investigator (310) 268-3376