ClinicalTrials.gov
 Home    Search    Study Topics    Glossary  
 

  Full Text View  
  Tabular View  
  Contacts and Locations  
  Related Studies  
Attention Shaping Procedures for Improving Psychosocial Skills Among Adults With Schizophrenia

This study is currently recruiting participants.
Information provided by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

This Tabular View shows the required WHO registration data elements as marked by

Descriptive Information Fields
Brief Title  Attention Shaping Procedures for Improving Psychosocial Skills Among Adults With Schizophrenia
Official Title  Effectiveness Trial of Attention Shaping for Schizophrenia
Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of attention shaping procedures in improving attentiveness and learning abilities in people undergoing psychosocial skills training treatment for schizophrenia.

Detailed Description

Schizophrenia is a disabling mental disorder that can interfere with a person's ability to function both alone and in social situations. Various treatments have been effective in treating schizophrenia, including antipsychotic medications and cognitive therapy. Psychosocial skills training, a type of cognitive therapy, is often used to help people with schizophrenia cope with their condition and improve social functioning in day-to-day life. However, many individuals with schizophrenia experience difficulty paying attention, and this is a significant barrier to successful outcomes in psychosocial skills training interventions. Attention shaping procedures (ASP) is a behavioral intervention that helps individuals with impaired attention capacities to benefit from skills-based treatment. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of ASP in improving attentiveness and learning abilities in people undergoing psychosocial skills training treatment for schizophrenia.

Participants in this 5-month, single-blind study will be randomly assigned to ASP plus basic conversation skills training (BCS), which is a social skills training group, or BCS alone. Training sessions for both groups will be held when participants attend regular hospital visits. During the first month, participants will complete two sessions of interviews, self-report scales, and social and cognitive functional assessments. Over the next 3 months, training sessions for both groups will occur twice a week for approximately 1 hour. ASP sessions will focus on setting goals and increasing the quality and duration of participants' attentiveness during psychosocial interventions. BCS will train participants in the following five skill areas: recognizing verbal and non-verbal cues; starting a friendly conversation; keeping conversation going; ending a conversation politely; and incorporating all of these skills together. During the last month, participants will attend two interview sessions lasting approximately 4 hours each. One follow-up session will occur 6 months after completing the intervention.

Study Phase
Study Type  Interventional
Study Design  Treatment, Randomized, Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Primary Outcome Measure  Observational ratings of in-group attentiveness [ Time Frame: Measured two times per week for 16 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Observational ratings of in-group attentiveness in non-study groups [ Time Frame: Measured at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Changes in knowledge of information about social skills taught in the study [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Changes in ability to demonstrate behavioral skills taught in the study [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Level of social functioning [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measure  Self-efficacy [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Working alliance [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Satisfaction with treatment [ Time Frame: Measured at pre- and post-treatment and at Month 6 follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Condition  Schizophrenia
Intervention  Behavioral: Social skills training with attention shaping procedures
Behavioral: Social skills training without attention shaping
MEDLINE PMIDs 15997603
Links
Recruitment Information Fields
Recruitment Status  Recruiting
Enrollment  100
Start Date  January 2007
Completion Date December 2011
Eligibility Criteria 

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of schizophrenia, as confirmed by a diagnostic interview
  • Has experienced difficulty paying attention while in groups during a treatment program, as determined by program staff
  • Has experienced problems with social skills, as determined by program staff and study clinicians
  • Social skill deficits, as determined by study clinicians

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of mental retardation (including borderline or mild mental retardation)
  • Diagnosis of autism, Asperger's syndrome, or another childhood disorder involving learning or relating to other people
  • History of a neurological disorder, including epilepsy, traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness, coma, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.
  • Diagnosis of active substance abuse (history of a substance abuse disorder without a current substance abuse problem will not be a criterion for exclusion)
Gender Both
Ages 18 Years to 55 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers No
Contacts ††
Contact: Steven M. Silverstein, PhD     732-235-5149     silvers1@umdnj.edu    
Contact: Igor Malinovski     732-235-5148     malinovsky01@icqmail.com    
Location Countries  United States
Administrative Information Fields
NCT ID  NCT00391677
Organization ID R01 MH74650
Secondary IDs †† DATR A2-A1SZ
Study Sponsor  National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Collaborators ††
Investigators 
Principal Investigator:     Steven M. Silverstein, PhD     University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey    
Information Provided By National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Verification Date March 2008
First Received Date  October 20, 2006
Last Updated Date March 4, 2008

 †    Required WHO trial registration data element.
††   WHO trial registration data element that is required only if it exists.




Links to all studies - primarily for crawlers