Mindfulness-based Social Cognition Group Training for Persons With Diagnoses of Psychotic Disorders (SocialMind): A Feasibility, Non-randomized Controlled Trial

Social functioning is impaired among many patients with a first episode of psychosis, who also show a lower ability to recognize, understand and benefit from social stimuli (i.e., deficits in social cognition) than their pairs. Both deficits underlie the general functional impairment found across non-affective psychotic syndromes. Since currently available pharmacological strategies have not proven themselves effective in addressing this matter, new psychotherapeutic approaches should be developed. This research team developed a mindfulness-based social cognition group training (SocialMind) designed for persons who have suffered a first episode of psychosis within five years prior to their enrollment in the study (AGES-Mind Study, NCT03309475). Although there is enough evidence to support the lack of adverse events derived for mindfulness-based interventions specifically designed for psychotic patients (Cramer et al., 2016), many clinicians express their concerns about the beneficial effects of these approaches. Therefore, and in keeping with international health organisms such as United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), this team have proposed a feasibility study. The main hypothesis is that the AGES-Mind study can be carried out in terms of achievement of recruitment rate, lack of adverse events and levels of treatment adherence. Secondary hypothesis states that clinicians will adhere to SocialMind manual. Finally, a positive effect of the intervention is expected, both in participants' satisfaction and in some relevant variables, such as functional outcomes, clinical global impression and social cognition.