A randomized controlled trial examining a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention enhanced with cognitive remediation to improve work and neurocognition outcomes among persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

This single blind, three-armed randomized controlled trial compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) enhanced with cognitive remediation (CBT + CR) to CBT alone and an active control condition on work and neurocognition outcomes for persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Seventy-five adult outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were randomized to three study conditions (N = 25 per group). The CBT intervention was the Indianapolis Vocational Intervention program (IVIP), consisting of weekly group and individual sessions focused on work-related content. Participants in the CBT + CR group received IVIP and Posit Science computer-based cognitive training. The active control group consisted of weekly vocational support groups and individual vocational support sessions. All participants were placed into a noncompetitive work assignment and were followed for 26 weeks. Data collection included hours worked, weekly work performance ratings, and neurocognition assessed at baseline and 6 months. Neurocognition was also assessed at 12 months. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear models to account for nested, repeated measures data. Results indicate that participants in the CBT + CR condition worked significantly more hours and had a more positive trajectory of improving global work performance and work quality across the study compared with the CBT alone and vocational support condition. Compared to the other conditions, CBT + CR also had a significant increase in overall neurocognition that continued to the 12 month follow-up, particularly in the domains of verbal learning and social cognition. In conclusion, CBT + CR may be an effective intervention to improve work functioning and neurocognition in persons with schizophrenia.