[Modification of cognitive disorders in schizophrenic and schizoaffective psychoses using cognitive therapy in...

In this study, 24 patients with subacute schizophrenic or schizoaffective psychoses were treated with "Integrated Psychological Therapy for Schizophrenic Patients" (IPT, Roder et al. 1988) and compared with 21 subacute schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients treated with sociotherapy, in respect of cognitive changes. Each therapy was administered at 8 sessions weekly for a period of 6 weeks. Advantages of the cognitively oriented therapy (IPT) appeared significantly greater with regard to interference and short-time memory improvement, and tendentially in respect to overinclusion. Neither type of therapy seems to affect schizophrenic concretism. Cognitive disorders, as reported by the patients themselves, show some remission with both forms of therapy. At 6 and 12 weeks after completion of therapy, differences between the two groups on these measures became insignificant. The findings suggest a quicker reduction of cognitive disorders by IPT in comparison with sociotherapy.