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Occupational Therapy in the Rehabilitation of Executive Functions in Patients With Schizophrenia

Not Applicable
Conditions
Refractory Schizophrenia
Interventions
Behavioral: OGI Method
Other: Craft Activities
Registration Number
NCT01879956
Lead Sponsor
University of Sao Paulo
Brief Summary

Primary Objective:

Efficacy of Occupational Therapy (OT) based Occupational Goal Intervention (OGI) in improving executive functions in patients with refractory schizophrenia as measured by the BADS.

Secondary Objectives: improvement of functional aspects,basic and instrumental activities of daily living,negative symptoms and cognitive functions improvement

Hypothesis: OT is more effective than control group to improve executive functions in patients with refractory schizophrenia.

Detailed Description

A single-center, randomized, single blind, controlled study, lasting one year, including the follow-up.

The study is conducted in two groups:the experimental group is based on the OGI method (N=30 patients) and the control group receives craft activities (N = 30 patients).

Psychiatric, neuropsychological and functional aspects are assessed at the beginning, after 30 sessions and 6 months after the intervention. The scale PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) is used for monitoring psychopathological symptoms during the study.

Scales BADS, DAFS-R, ILSS-BR respectively assess executive functions, functionality and basic and instrumental activities of daily living. The neuropsychological evaluation includes a battery to measure attention, executive functions, memory and estimated intellectual efficiency.

Statistical analysis to be used: ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)for repeated measures; data are also calculated to messure clinical efficacy, effect size and needed number to treat.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • Pacients with diagnosis of schizophrenia for DMS IV-R.

  • Pacients that signed the consent in writing and receive explanations about the nature of the study.

  • Patients who carefully counted another responsible person to provide reliable support to the patient and ensure adherence to the same study treatment.

  • Patients with minimum education: five years (elementary school).

    • Patients who present rates below those expected for their age group in at least 3 of the executive functions assessed on neuropsychological tests, and evaluation of executive functions.
  • Patients with stable clozapine and which have not been recently admitted (3 months).

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Exclusion Criteria
  • Comorbid diagnosis of substance dependence or other psychiatric Axis I;
  • History of head trauma and / or other neurological problems;
  • Medical problems that compromise somehow the central nervous system;
  • History of mental retardation;
  • Patients treated with medication other than clozapine;
  • Patients who are suffering other psychosocial treatments.
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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
OGI MethodOGI Method- experimental group: use the OGI method to improve the executive functioning of patients with refractory schizophrenia.
craft activitiesCraft Activities- control group: use of craft activities, attend the same-number of sessions, but without the intervention of therapists.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
BADS (Behavioral Assessment of Functional Status)up to 6 months follow-up.

It is a battery which measures neuropsychological executive functions.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
DAFS-BR ( Direct Assessment of Functional Status), ILSS-BR (Habilities of Daily Living-Brazilian validated version).at baseline, after 30 sessions of treatment and follow-up 6 months.

DAFS-BR - Evaluates functional aspects of daily living such as dealing with money, shopping, social comunication ILSS-BR- similar to DAFS.

Trail Making A/B, Digit Span, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color Test, Rey Complex Figure, Verbal Fluency,Tapping Visual and Logical Memory.at baseline, after 30 sessions of treatment and 6 months follo-up.

Neuropsychological Battery (Trail Making A/B, Digit Span, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color Test,Rey Complex Figure, Verbal Fluency, Tapping Visual and Memória Logica)which measure cognitive functions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Instituto de Psiquiatria do HCFMUSP

🇧🇷

São Paulo, Brazil

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