Mode
Text Size
Log in / Sign up
N/A N=105 Randomized Single-blind Treatment

Improving Negative Symptoms & Community Engagement in Veterans With Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia · Serious Mental Illness

Enrolled (actual)
105
Serious AEs
15.2%
Results posted
Jul 2021
Primary outcome: Primary: Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms Motivation & Pleasure Scale (CAINS MAP) - 12 Weeks — 19.8; 17.3; 17.4; 17.1 score on a scale — p=0.295

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
N/A
Interventions
Engaging in Community Roles and Experiences (ENCoRE) (Behavioral); Health & Wellness (H&W) (Behavioral)
Age
Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
Sex
All
Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development
Primary completion
May 2020

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms Motivation & Pleasure Scale (CAINS MAP) - 12 Weeks
19.8; 17.3; 17.4; 17.1 0.295
PRIMARY
Social Functioning Scale (SFS) - 12 Weeks
110.3; 114.0; 111.1; 112.1 0.182
PRIMARY
Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms Motivation & Pleasure Scale (CAINS MAP) - 24 Weeks
19.8; 17.3; 16.2; 17.2 0.114
PRIMARY
Social Functioning Scale (SFS) - 24 Weeks
110.3; 114.0; 116.8; 112.7 0.220
SECONDARY
University of California San Diego Performance Based Skills Assessment - Brief (UPSA-B) - 12 Weeks
8.5; 8.4; 8.7; 8.1 0.018 sig
SECONDARY
Maryland Assessment of Recovery Scale (MARS) - 12 Weeks
95.5; 96.7; 95.0; 96.1 0.903
SECONDARY
Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms Social Motivation and Pleasure Subscale (CAINS SMAP) - 12 Weeks
8.6; 7.1; 6.9; 6.8 0.535
SECONDARY
Role Functioning Scale (RFS) - 12 Weeks
9.0; 8.9; 11.0; 9.5 0.010 sig
SECONDARY
University of California San Diego Performance Based Skills Assessment - Brief (UPSA-B) - 24 Weeks
8.5; 8.4; 8.6; 8.6 0.692
SECONDARY
Maryland Assessment of Recovery Scale (MARS) - 24 Weeks
95.5; 96.7; 95.8; 95.5 0.498
SECONDARY
Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms Social Motivation and Pleasure Subscale (CAINS SMAP) - 24 Weeks
8.6; 7.1; 6.4; 7.6 0.079
SECONDARY
Role Functioning Scale (RFS) - 24 Weeks
9.0; 8.9; 10.4; 9.7 0.539

Summary

The goal of this project is to evaluate an innovative psychosocial intervention package that will incorporate evidence-based treatment strategies to target the affective-motivational deficits, negative expectancies, and behavioral skills deficits that are central to the maintenance of negative symptoms. The intervention - called EnCoRE (Engaging in Community Roles and Experiences) - will include strategies aimed at teaching Veterans with schizophrenia and negative symptoms ways to (1) overcome deficits in anticipatory pleasure, (2) increase intrinsic motivation for goal-directed activities, (3) reduce expectancies for failure, and (4) perform skillfully in new social situations, all of which can impact implementation of new skills and behaviors. Rather than develop a new set of intervention strategies, the investigators will include within EnCoRE evidence-based strategies for these treatment domains. In addition, the investigators will collect qualitative information both from Veterans concerning their perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, and barriers to participation in EnCoRE, as well as from a sample of mental health providers who work with Veterans with schizophrenia and negative symptoms, in order to inform a larger scale implementation trial should EnCoRE prove effective here.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5) diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • A minimum average rating of a "moderately severe deficit" (3 or greater on a 0-4 scale) on one symptom domain or a minimum average rating of a "moderate deficit" (2 or greater on a 0-4 scale) on two or more domains, within the affect motivation factor of the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) i.e.,:
  • symptoms of asociality
  • avolition
  • anhedonia
  • Age between 18 and 75 years
  • Seen by a service provider twice within the last 6 months or once in the last 6 months consistently for two years, as in line with the Veteran's recorded mental health treatment plan (to demonstrate that participants receive ongoing and regular mental health care)
  • Competent to sign Informed Consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Documented history of serious neurological disorder or head trauma with loss of consciousness
  • Cognitive impairment (defined as a total intelligence quotient (IQ) score less than 70 as measured by the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading or as indicated by chart review
  • Inability to effectively participate in the baseline assessments due to psychiatric symptoms on two successive appointments
  • Current problematic substance use as indexed by scores on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test and the Drug Abuse Screening Test
  • Currently meet criteria for a major depressive episode
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02469389). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.

Back to search