Virtual Compensatory Cognitive Training (Virtual-CCT) - A study on acceptability and feasibility

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Cognitive impairments significantly affect daily functioning in individuals with psychotic disorders.
• Existing cognitive interventions, primarily developed in Western countries, face accessibility challenges in low-resource settings like India.
• Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT), an economical and non-computerized approach, was adapted for an urban Indian population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of delivering virtual one-on-one Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.
• To assess the impact of virtual CCT on cognitive deficits in schizophrenia patients.

Main Methods:

• Schizophrenia patients underwent assessment for cognitive deficits.
• Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) was delivered virtually in one-on-one sessions to 13 participants.
• Acceptability was gauged via semi-structured interviews with 10 completers; feasibility was measured using attendance, involvement, and comprehension scales.

Main Results:

• Virtual CCT demonstrated significant improvements in specific cognitive domains.
• High participant involvement and lower dropout rates indicated feasibility.
• Participant feedback confirmed the acceptability of the virtual intervention.

Conclusions:

• Virtual CCT is an acceptable and feasible intervention for increasing access to cognitive rehabilitation for schizophrenia patients in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Further validation in larger populations is warranted to confirm these findings.