[Efficacy of the "VADO" approach in psychiatric rehabilitation: a controlled study].
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of the efficacy of the rehabilitation approach that is recommended by the manual VADO (AAOS in English: Abilities Assessment and Objectives Setting) in schizophrenic syndromes.


METHODS
Controlled trial, partly with individual randomisation. Centres were invited to recruit 10 patients who in most centres were randomly allocated either to the VADO approach or to usual rehabilitation practice. At least two professionals for each centre attended a brief intensive training course. Patients were assessed at baseline and six months later with a) the FPS scale, which is an improvement on the DSM-IV SOFAS; b) the BPRS 4.0; c) AR, a clinical tool that is contained in VADO.


RESULTS
55 patients received the experimental interventions and 40 the control one. Six months later greater significant improvements were observed in the experimental group, both in social functioning and in psychopathology.


CONCLUSIONS
The dissemination of structured rehabilitation approaches that are based on personalized definition of objective, intensive progress monitoring, patient's therapeutic education and validated strategies and do not imply additional costs, may be warranted. A longer follow-up is under way.
IRCCS Centro S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Via Piastroni 4, 25125 Brescia. vado.irccs@oh-fbf.it
Michela
M
Vittorielli
Rosaria
R
Pioli
Luisa
L
Brambilla
Luigina
L
Archiati
Giuseppe
G
Rossi
Charlotte
C
Sleijpen
Lorenza
L
Magliano
Franco
F
Veltro
Pierluigi
P
Morosini
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation*