title: Modification of performance on the Span of Apprehension Task in a group of young people with early onset psychosis.
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of contingent monetary reinforcement and enhanced instructions on Span of Apprehension (SPAN) performance in a group of young people with early onset psychosis. Twenty-five participants (mean age 16.7) received a 3- and 12-letter version of the SPAN task six times: baseline, three x intervention, post-test, and 10-day follow-up. No significant effects of time were found in the 3-letter condition, indicating a ceiling effect for accuracy. In the 12-letter condition detection rates improved significantly reaching a maximum at the third intervention (p < 0.001). Performance showed a temporary decline at post-test, but performance returned to the maximum level at the 10-day follow-up. The study suggests that SPAN performance can be improved in young people with early onset psychosis using relatively simple interventions and that performance gains are relatively durable.
authors.affiliation: Sogn Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Oslo, Norway. torill.ueland@psykiatri.uio.no
authors.forename: Torill
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueland
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rishovd Rund
authors.forename: Nancy Elliot
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Purvis
authors.forename: Til
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wykes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index