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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
[Effects of new cognitive-behavioral therapy programs for improvement of specific social skills of schizophrenics--a
V Roder1, H D Brenner, D Müller
1Direktion Sozial- und Gemeindepsychiatrie, Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, CH-3000 Bern 60. roder@spk.unibe.ch
Abstract:
Based on the Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) for schizophrenia patients, the Berne group developed three specific cognitive behaviour therapy programmes for treating residential, vocational, and recreational functioning. We added new cognitive-emotional methods to these programmes that were devised especially for schizophrenia patients, taking into consideration the criticism of traditional social skill training methods. In the present multicentre study, these new programmes (experimental group) were compared with a traditional social skills training programme (control group, IPT "Social Skills" subprogramme). Both the therapy and aftercare phase each lasted 12 weeks and the follow-up phase 1 year. Assessment instruments covered psychopathology, cognitive functioning, and social adjustment. Higher ratings of global treatment effects and significant reductions in symptoms were obtained in the experimental group. In view of the favourable results, these newly designed social skill training programmes may replace more conventional therapy approaches in the future.
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