Evaluating a Smartphone-Based Digital Therapy to Improve Social Cognition in Adults With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the safety and preliminary effectiveness of AffectUs, a smartphone-based digital therapeutic application designed to improve social cognition, especially emotion processing and social cue perception, in adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. These disorders often involve difficulties in understanding and responding to social information, which affects social functioning despite medication treatment. Digital therapies like AffectUs may offer accessible, remote options for targeted social cognitive training. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one uses the AffectUs application five times per week for 10 to 15 minutes each session over 10 weeks alongside their usual psychiatric care. The other group receives standard psychiatric care plus weekly psychoeducational materials covering topics such as medication adherence and stress management, but without social cognition training. Both groups continue their usual treatment throughout the study. During the study, participants complete assessments at the start, week 5, week 10, and week 15 to measure changes in emotion recognition, social cue perception, social functioning, symptom severity, emotional intelligence, quality of life, mood symptoms, stress, resilience, self-esteem, and insight. Researchers monitor safety and clinical outcomes throughout. The total participation lasts about 15 weeks, with evaluations extending beyond the 10-week intervention period to assess lasting effects.

Digital Therapeutics for Social Cognitive Function in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial