Pilot study investigating the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy with patients with schizophrenia with a forensic history
dc.contributor.advisor
O'Rourke, Suzanne
en
dc.contributor.advisor
Edward, Joyce
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dc.contributor.author
Dodds, Julie
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dc.date.accessioned
2010-10-28T14:11:41Z
dc.date.available
2010-10-28T14:11:41Z
dc.date.issued
2009
dc.description.abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy with
patients with schizophrenia within a forensic population. The intervention aimed to
improve domains of cognitive functioning which have been found to be impaired as a
result of schizophrenia. Forensic patients with schizophrenia have been found to
have greater impairments in cognitive functioning relative to non-violent patients.
Therefore interventions which target these deficits are important in rehabilitation
interventions.
Design: A within subject repeated design was used. A control measure was also
implemented which involved patients being used as their own control.
Method: 17 participants successfully completed the cognitive rehabilitation
intervention. Initially 23 participants were recruited. Participants received
approximately five hours of the computer-assisted cognitive remediation
administered over seven weekly sessions. Outcome measures were cognitive
assessments measuring executive functioning, attention, verbal learning and memory,
perceptual organisation and visual memory. Outcome measures were administered
pre-intervention, during treatment, post treatment and at three months follow up. A
control assessment was also administered prior to the commencement of the
intervention.
Results: Post treatment measures on attention, perceptual organisation, visual
memory and aspects of executive functioning were found to be significantly
improved in comparison to pre intervention and control assessments. At 3 month
follow up these improvements in cognitive functioning were found to be sustained.
Conclusion: The pilot study indicated that cognitive rehabilitations are effective in
improving cognitive functioning within forensic populations with schizophrenia.
These results have the potential to improve functional outcomes and recovery, which
could indirectly improve symptoms and risk of future violence. Further research is
required in this area to provide additional evidence for this intervention to be
available to forensic patients with schizophrenia.
en
dc.identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1842/4107
dc.language.iso
en
dc.publisher
The University of Edinburgh
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dc.subject
cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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dc.subject
schizophrenia
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dc.subject
cognitive remediation
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dc.subject
forensic patients
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dc.title
Pilot study investigating the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy with patients with schizophrenia with a forensic history
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dc.type
Thesis or Dissertation
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dc.type.qualificationlevel
Doctoral
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dc.type.qualificationname
DClinPsychol Doctor of Clinical Psychology
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