TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive remediation for adolescents with 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS)
T2 - A preliminary study examining effectiveness, feasibility, and fidelity of a hybrid strategy, remote and computer-based intervention
AU - Mariano, Margaret A.
AU - Tang, Kerri
AU - Kurtz, Matthew
AU - Kates, Wendy R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health , R21/R33 MH085901 . We are grateful to Drs. Odie Bracy and Godfrey Pearlson for their support throughout this project, and to Jo-Anna Botti and Lauren Sanderson for their involvement on this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/2/6
Y1 - 2015/2/6
N2 - BACKGROUND: 22q11DS is a multiple anomaly syndrome involving intellectual and behavioral deficits, and increased risk for schizophrenia. As cognitive remediation (CR) has recently been found to improve cognition in younger patients with schizophrenia, we investigated the efficacy, feasibility, and fidelity of a remote, hybrid strategy, computerized CR program in youth with 22q11DS. METHODS: A longitudinal design was implemented in which 21 participants served as their own controls. Following an eight month baseline period in which no interventions were provided, cognitive coaches met with participants remotely for CR via video conferencing three times a week over a targeted 8month timeframe and facilitated their progress through the intervention, offering task-specific strategies. A subset of strategies were examined for fidelity. Outcomes were evaluated using a neurocognitive test battery at baseline, pre-treatment and post-treatment. RESULTS: All participants adhered to the intervention. The mean length of the treatment phase was 7.96months. A moderately high correlation (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.73) was found for amount and type of strategies offered by coaches. Participants exhibited significant improvements (ES=.36-.55, p ≤.009) in working memory, shifting attention and cognitive flexibility. All significant models were driven by improvements in pre to post-treatment scores. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our preliminary investigation, a remote, hybrid strategy, computerized CR program can be implemented with 22q11DS youth despite geographic location, health, and cognitive deficits. It appears effective in enhancing cognitive skills during the developmental period of adolescence, making this type of CR delivery useful for youth with 22q11DS transitioning into post-school environments.
AB - BACKGROUND: 22q11DS is a multiple anomaly syndrome involving intellectual and behavioral deficits, and increased risk for schizophrenia. As cognitive remediation (CR) has recently been found to improve cognition in younger patients with schizophrenia, we investigated the efficacy, feasibility, and fidelity of a remote, hybrid strategy, computerized CR program in youth with 22q11DS. METHODS: A longitudinal design was implemented in which 21 participants served as their own controls. Following an eight month baseline period in which no interventions were provided, cognitive coaches met with participants remotely for CR via video conferencing three times a week over a targeted 8month timeframe and facilitated their progress through the intervention, offering task-specific strategies. A subset of strategies were examined for fidelity. Outcomes were evaluated using a neurocognitive test battery at baseline, pre-treatment and post-treatment. RESULTS: All participants adhered to the intervention. The mean length of the treatment phase was 7.96months. A moderately high correlation (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.73) was found for amount and type of strategies offered by coaches. Participants exhibited significant improvements (ES=.36-.55, p ≤.009) in working memory, shifting attention and cognitive flexibility. All significant models were driven by improvements in pre to post-treatment scores. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our preliminary investigation, a remote, hybrid strategy, computerized CR program can be implemented with 22q11DS youth despite geographic location, health, and cognitive deficits. It appears effective in enhancing cognitive skills during the developmental period of adolescence, making this type of CR delivery useful for youth with 22q11DS transitioning into post-school environments.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Cognitive remediation
KW - Remote
KW - Schizophrenia
KW - Velocardiofacial syndrome
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U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2015.05.030
DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2015.05.030
M3 - Article
C2 - 26044111
AN - SCOPUS:84955198157
SN - 0920-9964
VL - 166
SP - 283
EP - 289
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
IS - 1-3
ER -