A randomized controlled trial of Goal Management Training for executive functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders or psychosis risk syndromes.
BMC Psychiatry
; 22(1): 575, 2022 08 28.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36031616
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Executive functioning is essential to daily life and severely impaired in schizophrenia and psychosis risk syndromes. Goal Management Training (GMT) is a theoretically founded, empirically supported, metacognitive strategy training program designed to improve executive functioning.METHODS:
A randomized controlled parallel group trial compared GMT with treatment as usual among 81 participants (GMT, n = 39 versus Wait List Controls, n = 42) recruited from an early intervention for psychosis setting. Computer generated random allocation was performed by someone independent from the study team and raters post-intervention were unaware of allocation. The primary objective was to assess the impact of GMT administered in small groups for 5 weeks on executive functioning. The secondary objective was to explore the potential of the intervention in influencing daily life functioning and clinical symptoms.RESULTS:
GMT improved self-reported executive functioning, measured with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult version (BRIEF-A), significantly more than treatment as usual. A linear mixed model for repeated measures, including all partial data according to the principle of intention to treat, showed a significant group x time interaction effect assessed immediately after intervention (post-test) and 6 months after intervention (follow-up), F = 8.40, p .005, r .37. Improvement occurred in both groups in objective executive functioning as measured by neuropsychological tests, functional capacity, daily life functioning and symptoms of psychosis rated by clinicians. Self-reported clinical symptoms measured with the Symptoms Check List (SCL-10) improved significantly more after GMT than after treatment as usual, F = 5.78, p .019, r .29. Two participants withdrew due to strenuous testing and one due to adverse effects.CONCLUSIONS:
GMT had clinically reliable and lasting effects on subjective executive function. The intervention is a valuable addition to available treatment with considerable gains at low cost. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT03048695 09/02/2017.Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Psychotic Disorders
/
Schizophrenia
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Year:
2022
Type:
Article