Transportability and feasibility of Social Cognition And Interaction Training (SCIT) in community settings.
BACKGROUND
Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) is a manual-based group intervention designed to improve social cognition in schizophrenia. Initial studies conducted by the developers of SCIT suggest that the intervention has promise in ameliorating social cognitive dysfunction in both inpatients and outpatients.


OBJECTIVE
The current study is a preliminary evaluation of SCIT in community samples.


METHODS
An uncontrolled, pre-post design was used in this initial feasibility study. A collaborative research-clinical approach was employed to enable research evaluation while also meeting the administrative goals of participating clinics, and working within the constraints of real-world clinical practice. Transportability, acceptability, and feasibility of SCIT were evaluated in terms of pre- and post-treatment evaluations, client attendance data (N = 50), and clinic administrators' decisions about whether to integrate SCIT into regular programming. Social-cognitive outcome measures assessed emotion perception, Theory of Mind, and attributional bias.


RESULTS
These support the transportability, acceptability, and feasibility of SCIT in community settings. SCIT has been integrated into routine practice at several test sites. Tentative support was found for improvement in emotion perception and Theory of Mind, but not attributional bias.


CONCLUSIONS
SCIT may be a promising intervention for community agencies serving individuals with psychotic disorders who seek to improve their social functioning.
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. david.l.roberts@yale.edu
David L
DL
Roberts
David L
DL
Penn
Daniella
D
Labate
Seth A
SA
Margolis
Abram
A
Sterne
D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D004644:Emotions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D016352:Group Homes; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception