title: Improving Theory of Mind in Schizophrenia by Targeting Cognition and Metacognition with Computerized Cognitive Remediation: A Multiple Case Study.
abstract: Schizophrenia is associated with deficits in theory of mind (ToM) (i.e., the ability to infer the mental states of others) and cognition. Associations have often been reported between cognition and ToM, and ToM mediates the relationship between impaired cognition and impaired functioning in schizophrenia. Given that cognitive deficits could act as a limiting factor for ToM, this study investigated whether a cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) that targets nonsocial cognition and metacognition could improve ToM in schizophrenia. Four men with schizophrenia received CRT. Assessments of ToM, cognition, and metacognition were conducted at baseline and posttreatment as well as three months and 1 year later. Two patients reached a significant improvement in ToM immediately after treatment whereas at three months after treatment all four cases reached a significant improvement, which was maintained through 1 year after treatment for all three cases that remained in the study. Improvements in ToM were accompanied by significant improvements in the most severely impaired cognitive functions at baseline or by improvements in metacognition. This study establishes that a CRT program that does not explicitly target social abilities can improve ToM.
authors.affiliation: École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3.
authors.forename: Élisabeth
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5603-0856
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Thibaudeau
authors.affiliation: École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cellard
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reeder
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Til
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wykes
authors.affiliation: École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ivers
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3; Département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maziade
authors.affiliation: École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3.
authors.forename: Marie-Audrey
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.affiliation: École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pothier
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 2G3; Département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.
authors.forename: Amélie M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7660-0008
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Achim