Summary

Eligibility
for people ages 18-65 (full criteria)
Location
at La Jolla, California and other locations
Dates
study started
completion around
Principal Investigator
by Colin A Depp, Ph.D.
Headshot of Colin A Depp
Colin A Depp

Description

Summary

People with psychotic disorders experience a high level of functional disability, and a major contributor to this disability is introspective accuracy, which is defined as inaccurate judgements of one's abilities and performance on tasks. Yet, no intervention has directly targeted introspective accuracy for psychotic illnesses. This trial will evaluate a new intervention, called iTEST, that uses mobile devices to train people with psychotic disorders to improve introspective accuracy and, ultimately, functional outcomes

Details

This NIH-supported clinical trial is the first phase of a two phase program, funded by Development of Psychosocial Therapeutic and Preventive Interventions for Mental Disorders, R61/R33. The overarching goal is to evaluate a new blended mobile intervention that is aimed at improving introspective accuracy (IA) in people with psychotic disorders, with the ultimate goal of improving functional outcome. Introspective accuracy is the degree to which one's self-assessment of performance or abilities corresponds with objective data. Recent research indicates that poor IA is an independent predictor of functional disability. Yet, there are currently no treatments that directly target IA. Basic experimental research and other lines of evidence suggest IA is malleable, and that improvement in task-based IA transfers to untrained tasks. This project's premise is that task-based IA training could be delivered in a remote mobile health format and coupled with coaching in applying improved IA to real-world functional behaviors, creating a novel avenue for functional rehabilitation in psychotic disorders. The investigators have developed and completed usability testing of iTEST, a novel blended IA targeted mobile intervention. iTEST integrates graduated drill-and-practice training in IA delivered on a mobile device with personalized coaching in applying IA to everyday compensatory behaviors. In the R61 phase trial here, the investigators will recruit people with psychotic disorders with at least minimal functional impairment. The investigators will conduct an open trial of iTEST, evaluating whether the intervention leads to clinically significant changes in task-based IA along with transfer to an untrained task (target mechanisms). The investigators will also determine the dose of intervention needed to achieve clinically significant improvement in IA targets, by evaluating change at 8, 12, or 16 weeks. The go/no go criteria for this trial are 75% adherence and clinically significant increases in introspective accuracy. A total of 60 persons who are diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder will be recruited into this trial

Keywords

Schizophrenia, Schizo Affective Disorder, Psychotic Disorders, Mental Disorders, Mood Disorders, iTEST

Eligibility

You can join if…

Open to people ages 18-65

  1. Voluntary informed consent to participate and capacity to consent as measured by the UCSD Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC)
  2. Age 18 to 65;
  3. DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder based on a structured diagnostic interview and available medical record review;
  4. ≥ 6th grade reading level on the Wide Range Achievement Test-4 Reading subtest (needed to read instructions on device);
  5. Stable co-treatments (no hospitalizations or medication class changes in 2 months before enrollment). The investigators will determine symptom and medication stability by best-estimate history with information from medical records;
  6. Availability of a clinician (staff member, case manager, other mental health clinician) or close associate (family member, friend) with at least monthly contact who can be their informant
  7. Minimum level of functional impairment based on milestones, excluding participants who are full-time employed and financially responsible for their household.

You CAN'T join if...

  1. Greater than moderate disorganization on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (P2-Disorganization item >5)
  2. DSM-5 alcohol or substance dependence in past 3 months based on interview
  3. Level of care required interferes with outpatient therapy (e.g., hospitalized; severe medical illness); 4) Unable to adequately see or manually manipulate a smartphone.

Locations

  • University of California, San Diego accepting new patients
    La Jolla California 92037 United States
  • University of Texas at Dallas accepting new patients
    Richardson Texas 75080 United States

Lead Scientist at UCSD

  • Colin A Depp, Ph.D.
    As a clinician scientist, my research has focused on technology-based longitudinal assessment and real-time interventions in mental health, in particular mobile technology applications in serious mental illnesses. I have been fortunate to receive as PI several NIMH and VA grants, each concerned with evaluation of technology enhanced assessments and cognitive and behavioral real-time interventions.

Details

Status
accepting new patients
Start Date
Completion Date
(estimated)
Sponsor
University of California, San Diego
ID
NCT05899348
Study Type
Interventional
Participants
Expecting 60 study participants
Last Updated