Does comprehensive cognitive remediation improve emotion perception?

Social cognition, including emotion perception, is impaired in people with serious mental illnesses (SMI), and is associated with cognitive and community functioning. Cognitive remediation can improve neurocognition, but the impact on emotion perception has been less well studied. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive remediation programme in improving emotion perception.

Cognitive remediation for vocational rehabilitation nonresponders.

Cognitive remediation in people with severe mental illnesses (SMI) that interfere with work, but less research has evaluated its effects in those who have not benefitted from vocational services. Participants with SMI (83% schizophrenia) who had not benefitted from vocational rehabilitation were randomized to vocational services enhanced by training vocational specialists in recognizing cognitive difficulties and providing job-relevant cognitive coping strategies (Enhanced Vocational Rehabilitation: E-VR), or similarly enhanced vocational services and cognitive remediation (Thinking Skills Work: TSW). Cognition and symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-treatment (9months), and follow-up (18months), with work tracked weekly for 3years.

Cognitive training for supported employment: 2-3 year outcomes of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To address cognitive impairments that limit the effectiveness of supported employment services for patients with schizophrenia, a cognitive training program, the Thinking Skills for Work Program, was developed and integrated into supported employment services.

Method: Patients with severe mental illness (N=44) and prior histories of job failures who were enrolled in supported employment programs at two sites in New York City were randomly assigned to receive either supported employment alone or supported employment with cognitive training. Measures at baseline and 3 months included a brief cognitive and symptom assessment.