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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00587561

Efficacy of Social Cognition Training in Schizophrenia

The term social cognition refers to how social information is processed. Individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder have been shown to have significant deficits in social cognition. Moreover, it has been speculated that these deficits may in turn have a negative impact on their overall functioning. Behavioral interventions targeting social cognition are just beginning to emerge, and there is a need to evaluate their efficacy.

Objectives:

This is a small trial evaluating the efficacy of social cognition interaction training (SCIT) an experimental behavioral treatment for improving social cognition in schizophrenia.

Research Design and Methodology:

Approximately 48 participants with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders will be randomized into one of two conditions: 1) a 20 to 24 session manualized social cognition interaction training group (SCIT), or 2) wait-list control. Pre-and post-group therapy assessments of symptoms, social cognition, basic cognition, and community function will be conducted. Data obtained from this study will allow us to determine the efficacy of SCIT training in improving symptom, cognitive, and functional measures.

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Key information

Conditions

Schizophrenia Mental Disorders Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • Age between 18 and 65
  • minimum of 30 days since discharge from last hospitalization
  • minimum of 30 days since last change in psychiatric medications
  • no housing changes in the past 30 days

Exclusion criteria

  • current diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse/dependence
  • history of brain trauma or neurological disease
  • mental retardation or developmental disability
  • auditory or visual impairment that would interfere with study procedures

Treatment and study plan

Social Cognition Interaction Training

Behavioral

manualized group therapy

WLC

Behavioral

wait-list control for 6 months, followed by the experimental group therapy

Primary outcomes

  1. Social Cognitive Measures

    Time frame: 6 months - baseline

    change score for Facial Emotion Identification Task (FEIT), FEIT scores range from 0-19 with higher scores indicating better performance, higher change scores indicate greater improvement

Secondary outcomes

  1. Basic Cognitive Measures

    Time frame: 6 months - baseline

    change score on Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) 6 domain composite average t-score, t-score mean = 50 and SD=10, higher change scores indicate greater improvement; please note outcome is not a t-score itself but a change in t-score

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Fed

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jan 7, 2008
Registry last updated
Oct 3, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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