title: Computer-aided cognitive rehabilitation: possible application to the attentional deficit of schizophrenia, a report of negative results.
abstract: The cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia commonly include impairment in attention, which may contribute to difficulties with learning, memory, and executive function. This study evaluated the effectiveness of computer-aided training of attentional skills in schizophrenia. Two groups of schizophrenic subjects (9 men and 1 woman) were matched for age, estimated premorbid IQ, and positive and negative symptom scores. Both groups were assessed using a battery of attentional tests. Subjects then received either six 1-hr. computer-aided cognitive rehabilitation sessions (experimental condition) or six sessions of graphics-based computer games (control condition). Both groups were reassessed with attentional measures. There was significant improvement on only one test, a letter-cancellation task. This improvement was evident in both groups suggesting that this was a practise effect. Apart from the letter-cancellation test, subjects undertaking the computer-aided rehabilitation treatment did not show significant improvement on any attentional tasks.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, South Australian Mental Health Service-Glenside, Eastwood, Australia.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galletly
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001288:Attention; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003196:Computer Graphics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome