Assessing the Effect of Compensatory Cognitive Intervention Among People With Severe Mental Illness

Assessing the Effect of Compensatory Cognitive Intervention for Functional Capacity, Cognitive Functions and Severity of Symptoms Among People With Severe Mental Illness

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of a short term compensatory cognitive group intervention - the Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) among people with severe mental illnesses, receiving ambulatory treatment

This study includes two experimental arms to research cognitive compensatory group treatment in severe mental illness population. The study consists of 4 primary phases: recruitment, assessment, intervention and post-intervention assessment. Two arms involve an ambulatory participants. participants are assigned to an intervention or control group according to the order of recruitment. Assessment and post-assessment phases include assessments of functional capacity, cognitive functions and severity of symptoms.

Intervention includes 12 group sessions in a small group of five participants, focusing on learning compensatory strategies aimed to improve attention, concentration, learning, memory, organization, and problem-solving in order to improve everyday functioning. Interventions will be performed in addition to standard ambulatory treatment. The control group will receive standard ambulatory treatment only.

Inclusion Criteria:

• basic knowledge in Hebrew
• diagnosed according to the ICD -10 with severe mental illness: schizophrenia, bipolar disease, schizoaffective disorder or major depression
• Patients are treated with neuroleptic medication for at least four weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

• acquired neurological disorders including dementia and brain injury.
• Developmental neurological disorders including developmental intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorders.
• Regular Electro convulsive therapy treatment with frequency of twice a month or more.
• People to whom a guardian has been appointed
• Current addiction