Preliminary evaluation of cognitive adaptation training to compensate for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia

Cognitive adaptation training is a treatment approach designed to alter the physical environment of patients with schizophrenia to compensate for cognitive deficits and improve adaptive function. A wide range of environmental manipulations such as labels, signs, schedules, and rearrangement of objects are employed. In a preliminary study at a state hospital, outcomes for cognitive adaptation training were compared with outcomes for standard psychosocial treatment for two groups of patients with schizophrenia, matched on levels of functional impairment and symptoms. Both groups showed improvement in symptoms and adaptive function, but patients receiving the specialized training showed greater improvement in adaptive function than did the standard-treatment group.