Mobile Intervention for Schizophrenia

Overseen By Lauren Luther

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Disqualifiers: Recent treatment changes

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop your current medications. However, recent changes in mental health treatment may exclude you from participating.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking for schizophrenia?

Research on similar mobile interventions, like Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS), shows that using mobile technology can improve medication adherence, social interactions, and reduce hallucinations in people with schizophrenia. This suggests that mobile interventions can be effective in managing symptoms of schizophrenia. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the mobile intervention for schizophrenia safe for humans?

The mobile interventions for schizophrenia, including text-messaging and smartphone apps, have shown to be feasible and acceptable with minimal participant drop-out and no broken devices reported. Participants generally found these interventions satisfactory, suggesting they are safe for use in humans. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

How is the Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking treatment different from other schizophrenia treatments?

The Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking is unique because it uses mobile technology to provide support and therapy directly through a smartphone, making it more accessible and convenient for patients. Unlike traditional treatments, this approach can offer continuous, real-time support and potentially improve social functioning and quality of life by integrating evidence-based interventions into daily life. ^{2 7 8 9 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study will test the inital efficacy of a brief mobile intervention targeting biased thinking.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders, as well as those at high risk for psychosis based on symptom interviews. It's not suitable for people who've had recent changes in mental health treatment within the last month, or two months if they're on depot medication.

Inclusion Criteria

Diagnosis of schizophrenia or related psychotic disorder

Identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis in symptom interviews

Exclusion Criteria

Recent changes in mental health treatment in past month

My mental health treatment hasn't changed in the last 2 months.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a brief mobile intervention targeting biased thinking

6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in defeatist beliefs and negative symptoms after the intervention

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking

Trial Overview The study is examining a brief mobile intervention designed to address biased thinking patterns in participants with schizophrenia. The goal is to assess how effective this mobile tool can be in improving cognitive processes.

Participant Groups

Group I: Mobile Intervention to Target Biased Thinking Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,677

Recruited

2,458,000+

Findings from Research

The mobile-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for negative symptoms (mCBTn) was tested in a preliminary trial with 31 participants suffering from schizophrenia, showing excellent retention (87% at 18 weeks) and significant reductions in defeatist attitudes and experiential negative symptoms.

The results indicate that mCBTn is a feasible and potentially effective intervention for addressing negative symptoms in schizophrenia, supporting the defeatist attitude model and suggesting that technology-enhanced therapies can improve traditional psychosocial treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Negative Symptoms: Open Single-Arm Trial With Schizophrenia Patients. Granholm, E., Holden, J., Dwyer, K., et al.[2020]

The Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS) program, which used text messaging over 12 weeks, significantly improved medication adherence and social interactions, particularly for individuals living independently.

Participants also experienced a notable reduction in the severity of auditory hallucinations, indicating that low-intensity interventions like MATS can effectively enhance outcomes for higher functioning individuals with schizophrenia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS): a pilot trial of an interactive text-messaging intervention for medication adherence, socialization, and auditory hallucinations. Granholm, E., Ben-Zeev, D., Link, PC., et al.[2022]

The study found that using a smartphone app for monitoring symptoms and cognitive functions in people with schizophrenia is feasible and acceptable in both India and the United States, suggesting its potential for global use.

Preliminary results indicate that app-based assessments may correlate with traditional clinical and cognitive evaluations, highlighting the app's promise for real-time monitoring, although further research is needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Smartphone digital phenotyping, surveys, and cognitive assessments for global mental health: Initial data and clinical correlations from an international first episode psychosis study. Lakhtakia, T., Bondre, A., Chand, PK., et al.[2022]

Mobile Health interventions (m-Health) for patients with psychosis are feasible and user-friendly, showing promise in improving treatment adherence and reducing hospital admissions.

These interventions effectively monitor the evolution of psychotic symptoms, although the lack of standardized methodologies across studies makes it challenging to determine which specific strategies are most effective.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of mobile technologies in patients with psychosis: A systematic review. Bonet, L., Izquierdo, C., Escartí, MJ., et al.[2018]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Validation of an ecological momentary assessment to measure processing speed and executive function in schizophrenia. [2023]

2. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Negative Symptoms: Open Single-Arm Trial With Schizophrenia Patients. [2020]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS): a pilot trial of an interactive text-messaging intervention for medication adherence, socialization, and auditory hallucinations. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Smartphone digital phenotyping, surveys, and cognitive assessments for global mental health: Initial data and clinical correlations from an international first episode psychosis study. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile enhancement of motivation in schizophrenia: A pilot randomized controlled trial of a personalized text message intervention for motivation deficits. [2023]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile interventions for severe mental illness: design and preliminary data from three approaches. [2022]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Online, social media and mobile technologies for psychosis treatment: a systematic review on novel user-led interventions. [2022]

8. Spain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of mobile technologies in patients with psychosis: A systematic review. [2018]

9. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preliminary Outcomes of an Ecological Momentary Intervention for Social Functioning in Schizophrenia: Pre-Post Study of the Motivation and Skills Support App. [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Video-based mobile health interventions for people with schizophrenia: Bringing the "pocket therapist" to life. [2021]