Pilot Study of the Effects of Cognitive Remediation Therapy Using the Frontal/Executive Program for Treating Chronic Schizophrenia

Cognitive Remediation Therapy is a new rehabilitation approach that has been created in order to improve cognitive functions such as attention, memory and executive function. We aimed to investigate the effects of one type of Cognitive Remediation Therapy, the Frontal/Executive Program, on cognitive function, social function, and psychiatric symptoms in the chronic phase schizophrenia patients.

Seventeen participants who gave consent were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=8) or control group (n=9). The intervention consisted of 44 sessions of FEP over a period of approximately six months. Cognitive function, social function, and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated before and after the intervention and before and after a roughly six-month long period for controls. Results: The present study showed improvements in Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia-Japanese version composite score and subscales of verbal memory and working memory. Improvements were also observed in overall evaluation in the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale-Japanese version, total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score. FEP is considered to improve the performance of cognitive function tests and social function tests and psychiatric symptoms tests that are the target of this training.

Intervention by Frontal/Executive Program improved cognitive function and psychiatric symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia with long disease duration who require large doses of medication. Significant effects of intervention were observed in overall patient, informant and interviewer evaluation in social function test. FEP is a training method the primary means pencil and paper, it is possible to inexpensively implement when compared to the other CRT that uses a computer. There is an advantage that less economic cost.