International expert perspectives on access, engagement, and implementation of cognitive remediation for schizophrenia: A Delphi study.

Cognitive remediation (CR) for schizophrenia has been extensively studied and has proven effective in improving both cognition and functioning. Yet, implementation into mental health services is poor, with implementation and engagement barriers and facilitators not understood. The present study aimed to assess expert opinions on CR barriers and facilitators that pertain to staff, mental health services, and consumers.

Cognitive remediation for schizophrenia: Clinician perspectives on implementation barriers and facilitators.

Objectives: Neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia have a major impact on functioning; however, they remain poorly targeted by available treatment offerings. Cognitive remediation (CR) is effective in improving neurocognition and functioning. Despite clinical guidelines for schizophrenia recommending CR, it is still not readily available in clinical services and sizeable attrition rates are reported in clinical trials.

Factors Impacting Access and Engagement of Cognitive Remediation Therapy for People with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Neurocognitive deficits are central in schizophrenia. Cognitive remediation has proven effective in alleviating these deficits, with medium effect sizes. However, sizeable attrition rates are reported, with the reasons still uncertain.

Examining relationships between state and trait psychotic symptoms and quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Positive and negative symptoms are core aspects of schizophrenia and have been shown to influence patient quality of life (QOL). Previous studies have largely focused on current or state symptoms, with limited work on the contributions of trait symptoms to QOL. This study sought to examine the relationship between both state and trait symptoms and objective and subjective QOL.

Psychotic disorders amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a consideration of risks and impacts.

Purpose Of Review: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe and widespread global impact but particularly for those with psychosis. This review summarizes recent evidence on the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychotic disorders, highlighting the risks faced by these individuals including the negative impacts on treatment services, complications from contracting COVID-19, and the acceptability of digital interventions.

Recent Findings: Mortality, morbidity, and infection outcomes are among the worst for individuals with psychotic disorders.

Corrigendum to: Semantic Memory Impairment Across the Schizophrenia Continuum: A Meta-Analysis of Category Fluency Performance.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgaa054.].

Depression, perceived disability and unemployment are associated with reduced life satisfaction in anorexia nervosa.

Life satisfaction is a core aspect of an individual's wellbeing and describes the subjective assessment of their quality of life. Reduced life satisfaction is frequently reported in anorexia nervosa (AN),  but the factors contributing to this are still unclear. This study sought to extend previous work by examining 12 potential correlates of AN life satisfaction.

Alcohol use in Australia during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic: Initial results from the COLLATE project.

Aim: The effects of social isolation measures used to control the spread of COVID-19 are negatively impacting the mental health of many. One of the consequences of exposure to disasters/pandemics is an increase in alcohol use. The current study aimed to examine what predisposing (distal) and pandemic-related (proximal) factors were associated with increased drinking in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disorganised schizotypy is selectively associated with poorer semantic processing in non-clinical individuals.

The nature and severity of semantic memory (SM) impairments in schizophrenia has been related to symptoms, mainly formal thought disorder (FTD), and other clinical factors like length of illness. Symptom-related studies in schizophrenia are often confounded by clinical factors, for example medication and hospitalisations. We completed a schizotypy analogue study to examine the relationship between SM processing and FTD using an analogue schizotypy score referred to as cognitive disorganisation.

Examining lexical processing with two word tasks using the schizotypy analogue.

Semantic processing is impaired in schizophrenia, and is often assessed using word-based semantic tasks that additionally require lexical processing for accurate performance. This study aimed to examine lexical processing in relation to psychosis proneness. 61 individuals (mean age=22.

Comparing how co-morbid depression affects individual domains of functioning and life satisfaction in schizophrenia.

Objective: Depression in schizophrenia is often associated with reduced life satisfaction. Yet, it is not clear how depression influences different functioning domains. The relative impact across objective and subjective quality of life (QOL) has also not been clearly compared.

Assessing the Relationship between Semantic Processing and Thought Disorder Symptoms in Schizophrenia.

Aberrant semantic processing has been linked to the etiology of formal thought disorder (TD) symptoms in schizophrenia. In this cross-sectional study, two prominent theories, overactivation and disorganized structure of semantic memory (SM), were examined in relation to TD symptoms using the continuum approach across two established semantic tasks (direct/indirect semantic priming and categorical fluency). The aim was to examine the validity of the two TD theories in relation to TD symptoms in schizophrenia.