Psychoeducation in Patients With Schizophrenia: Neuropsychological Performance and Cognitive Training as Determinants of Outcome

Schizophrenic inpatients are examined shortly after admission with a broad battery of clinical and neurological rating scales and neuropsychological tests. They are then randomized to either standard treatment (including antipsychotic medications, art and occupational therapy, psychotherapy) or to standard treatment plus daily computerbased cognitive training (COGPACK; ten 1-hour sessions over two weeks). After repetition of the broad assessment battery all patients (and some of their family members) take part in a bifocal psychoeducation group program (eight 1-hour sessions over four weeks). Specific pre-post measures are illness knowledge, self and expert ratings of adherence to treatment, insight to the illness, treatment satisfaction. The study also includes a 9-month follow-up, with number of rehospitalizations, days in hospital and psychopathology as the primary outcome measures.