Clinical Trial of iTEST Mobile Cognitive Training and Coaching for Adults 18-65 with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating iTEST, a new psychosocial intervention for people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The study aims to improve introspective accuracy, which is the ability to accurately assess ones own abilities, a factor linked to functional disability. This NIH-supported trial is a phase two program to replicate earlier findings in a larger randomized control trial involving 201 participants across three metropolitan areas San Diego, Dallas, and Miami. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the iTEST intervention or an active control condition. Both groups receive 12 weeks of coachinginitially weekly 60-minute sessions for six weeks, followed by three bi-weekly 30-minute booster callsdelivered by telehealth or in person. Both groups perform daily cognitive tasks on a mobile device, but only iTEST focuses on improving self-assessment accuracy through feedback and coaching related to introspective accuracy, while the control group receives general cognitive feedback and psychoeducation on sleep, physical activity, and social connection. During the study, participants will complete assessments at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Researchers will evaluate community functioning as the primary outcome using the Informant-Rated Specific Level of Function SLOF Scale. Participants will be monitored for adherence to the mobile cognitive tasks and coaching sessions. The study includes a 3-month follow-up after the 12-week intervention to measure lasting effects on functional outcomes and introspective accuracy.

Randomized Clinical Trial of iTEST: A Blended Intervention Targeting Introspective Accuracy