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SchizophreniaNCT03930251

Cognitive Remediation for Coordinated Specialty Care

A study testing Clinic-Based Cognitive Remediation and Partial-Remote Cognitive Remediation in people with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder, run by New York State Psychiatric Institute at 9 sites in United States.

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Paused. Enrolment is on hold for now and may resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

Cognitive remediation (CR) is an evidence-based behavioral skills intervention that targets the cognitive processes underlying functioning in everyday life. It can be used as part of early intervention to reduce cognitive deficits evident at the first episode of psychosis, and has the potential to impact recovery and… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 30 years
Conditions the study is for
Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder
What is being tested?
Clinic-Based Cognitive Remediation and Partial-Remote Cognitive Remediation
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
117 participants
Where
9 sitesUnited States
Study dates
1 Jun 2019to 31 Aug 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 30 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Enrolled in a participating OTNY cognitive remediation program

Who cannot join

  • Not eligible to be enrolled in a participating OTNY cognitive remediation program

Trial locations and contacts

9 sites in 1 country.

9 sites in 1 country

United States9 sites
  • Kings County Hospital Center

    Brooklyn, New York, 11203

  • Services for the Underserved

    Brooklyn, New York, 11238

  • Bellevue Hospital Center

    New York, New York, 10016

  • Washington Heights Community Service

    New York, New York, 10032

  • Elmhurst Hospital Center

    Queens, New York, 11373

  • Rochester Psychiatric Center

    Rochester, New York, 14610

  • Staten Island University Hospital

    Staten Island, New York, 10309

  • The Institute for Family Health

    The Bronx, New York, 10032

  • Montefiore Medical Center

    The Bronx, New York, 10467

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Does the Addition of Cognitive Remediation to Coordinated Specialty Care Services Improve Functional Outcome

Cognitive remediation (CR) is an evidence-based behavioral skills intervention that targets the cognitive processes underlying functioning in everyday life. It can be used as part of early intervention to reduce cognitive deficits evident at the first episode of psychosis, and has the potential to impact recovery and quality of life. Across Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs, about half of early psychosis participants do not achieve sustained vocational, educational, and/or social recovery; adding CR to CS programs could improve these outcomes. However, models of CR need to be adapted to meet the developmental needs of a younger population and to better fit the CSC model of service delivery. This study of CR implementation will be conducted within the context of OnTrackNY, a network of first-episode psychosis programs that currently offers basic cognitive health evaluation and supportive treatment but not CR.

Intervention content will be designed and refined based on input from multiple stakeholders. The study will assess two delivery approaches to CR, one that delivers CR exclusively "in-clinic/clinician-led" and the other that is "partial-remote/independent" with one in-clinic/clinician-led session per week plus out-of-clinic independent cognitive practice. Nine OnTrackNY programs will be selected and OnTrackNY clinicians will be trained to conduct a cognitive assessment battery and CR. Three programs will be randomly assigned to provide treatment as usual (TAU) and six programs will be randomly assigned to provide both TAU and CR (either "in-clinic/clinician-led" or "partial-remote/independent"). Using de-identified data collected routinely by OnTrackNY for quality improvement/program evaluation, the investigators will examine whether the addition of CR improves functional outcomes for clients with first-episode psychosis, compare the effectiveness of CR delivery methods, and explore whether cognitive improvement is associated with improvement in functioning.

Read the detailed description

At the time of first-episode, most people with schizophrenia have cognitive impairments that significantly contribute to poor functioning. Early intervention with cognitive remediation (CR), an evidence-based skills intervention that targets cognitive processes, is designed to enhance cognition and functional recovery in people identified as having cognitive health needs. Evidence suggests that provision of CR to those in the early stage of schizophrenia, and in the context of rehabilitation services, results in greater cognitive and functional gains.

OnTrackNY (OTNY) is a New York-based Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) program that provides early psychosis treatment to young people, between 16 and 30 years of age, who have experienced the onset of non-affective psychosis within two years of beginning treatment. CSC programs provide a significant benefit over usual care, but on average 50% of patients remain disabled after two years. OTNY, like many other CSC programs, provides cognitive health evaluation and supportive treatment but does not routinely offer CR. However, evidence suggests that when cognitive disability is promptly addressed, people show increased self-esteem, engagement in the community and sense of well-being. Therefore, the addition of CR to OTNY may allow treatment to proceed at a faster rate, promote more rapid engagement and mitigate challenges experienced by clients in school or work.

This study aims to:

  1. Adapt a 12-week long CR intervention to 2 delivery methods using the input of experts, OnTrackNY mental health clinicians, and clients to improve the acceptability of the intervention content.
  2. Examine whether CR can enhance the cognitive and functional outcomes for people with first episode psychosis (FEP) receiving treatment in a CSC program and identified as having cognitive health needs.
  3. Compare the effectiveness of "in clinic/clinician-led" and "partial-remote/independent" CR delivery approaches.

This study will occur in phases. In Phase 1, CR content and delivery will be adapted using the input of experts, and training manuals will be created for two intervention approaches. Phase 2 will involve training of mental health clinicians at two OnTrackNY programs to add a formal battery of cognitive assessments and adapted CR. One program will be assigned to deliver CR exclusively "in-clinic" with the aid of a clinician and the other "partial-remote/independent" (one in-clinic session per week with independent cognitive practice). Following quality improvement/program evaluation procedures, the investigators will refine CR based on feedback from providers and clients. Phase 3 will involve nine OnTrackNY programs where clinicians will be trained by researchers to conduct the formal cognitive assessment battery and CR, if applicable. Three programs will be randomly assigned to provide treatment as usual (TAU) and six will be assigned to TAU and CR (either "in-clinic/clinician-led" or "partial-remote/independent").

Referral for cognitive health services will follow routine clinical practice through which clients and their clinicians document cognitive health needs and decide what intervention suits their needs. Clients will be given the option of enrolling in the program's CR intervention. Client characteristics, CR enrollment and outcomes will be made available for quality improvement monitoring and program evaluation in de-identified form. The investigators will examine outcomes for clients identified as having cognitive health needs. To address whether adding CR improves functional outcomes in CSC programs, the investigators will compare measures of community functioning and psychiatric symptom severity across groups. Functional outcome measures will be examined for the time most proximal to CR enrollment and every three months thereafter until study end (range 3-12 months of follow-up depending upon rolling enrollment). Cognition will be measured before and after completion of CR (an average of 3 months) to compare the effectiveness of the two CR delivery approaches and examine whether cognitive improvement is associated with improvement in functioning.

Being tested
Clinic-Based Cognitive Remediation, Partial-Remote Cognitive Remediation
Keywords
Cognitive Remediation
Medical subject headings
Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Clinic-Based Cognitive RemediationBehavioural

    Computer-based exercises targeting impairments in cognitive domains (sensory processing, processing speed, attention, working memory, executive functions) are paired with verbal discussions and group-based activities to strengthen metacognition and bridge newly learned cognitive skills to everyday life. Sessions are led twice weekly by a clinician in small groups.

  • Partial-Remote Cognitive RemediationBehavioural

    Computer-based exercises targeting impairments in cognitive domains (sensory processing, processing speed, attention, working memory, executive functions) are paired with verbal discussions and group-based activities to strengthen metacognition and bridge newly learned cognitive skills to everyday life. Sessions are led once weekly by a clinician in small groups and clients gain additional practice by accessing clinician-assigned computer-based exercises independently.

Study groups in NCT03930251
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Treatment as UsualNo interventionThis is the standard coordinated specialty care treatment (without cognitive remediation) that is provided to OnTrackNY clients. This treatment involves psychiatric treatment, employment and educational support, substance abuse treatment, family education and support, CBT-informed individual psychotherapy, and cognitive health support services as needed.
Clinic-Based Cognitive RemediationExperimentalClinic-based cognitive remediation consists of twice weekly group-based and clinician-led sessions.
Receives: Behavioral: Clinic-Based Cognitive Remediation
Partial-Remote Cognitive RemediationExperimentalPartial-Remote cognitive remediation consists of one weekly group-based, clinician-led session plus independent cognitive practice.
Receives: Behavioral: Partial-Remote Cognitive Remediation

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in occupational functioning

    Change in occupational functioning will be measured with the MIRECC Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Occupational Functioning scale. A clinician rates occupational functioning according to the client's primary role (worker, student, or not in labor force/homemaker) on a scale of 1-100 where a higher rating indicates better functioning.

    Measured: At study enrollment and every 3 months through study end, range of time frame 3-12 months

  2. Change in social functioning

    Change in social functioning will be measured with the MIRECC Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Social Functioning scale. A clinician rates the client's average social functioning during the past month on a scale of 1-100 where higher scores indicate better functioning.

    Measured: At study enrollment and every 3 months through study end, range of time frame 3-12 months

  3. Change in psychiatric symptoms

    Change in symptoms will be measured with the MIRECC Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Symptoms scale. A clinician rates psychiatric symptom severity on a scale of 1-100 where a higher rating indicates fewer or less severe psychiatric symptoms.

    Measured: At study enrollment and every 3 months through study end, range of time frame 3-12 months

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in Average Neurocognition

    Neurocognition will be measured with subtests from the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) assessing verbal memory, working memory, speed of processing, and executive function and the Continuous Performance Test - Identical Pairs (CPT-IP) for attention/vigilance. All scores will be converted to standardized T scores and averaged together to formulate one measure, Average Neurocognition. The secondary outcome measure will be change in Average Neurocognition from pre to post treatment such that a higher value represents a better outcome.

    Measured: Before and after completion of cognitive remediation, an average of 3 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Apr 2019
  2. Study start1 Jun 2019
  3. Primary completion31 Oct 2023
  4. Study completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)

Why it stopped: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OHRP issued an FWA restriction on NYSPI research that included a pause of human subjects research as of June 23, 2023.

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
117 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03930251
Sponsor's protocol ID
7700
Other IDs
1R34MH118318-01
Status last verified
Oct 2025
First submitted
5 Apr 2019
Last updated
7 Oct 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: All materials necessary to replicate the adapted cognitive remediation (CR) intervention will be prepared for public sharing. This includes the menu of web-based cognitive exercises employed by CR clinicians and treatment manual for bridging group verbal discussions. De-identified program evaluation data will be made available for research to investigators working under a Federal Wide Assurance who meet security measures and data use agreement criteria associated with public repositories including the National Database for Clinical Trials related to Mental Illness (NDCT). De-identified data will include demographic data, and raw data derived from occupational, social, symptom, and cognitive measures.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Clinic-Based Cognitive Remediation and Partial-Remote Cognitive Remediation in people with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder, run by New York State Psychiatric Institute at 9 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: paused, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 9 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in occupational functioning (time frame: At study enrollment and every 3 months through study end, range of time frame 3-12 months). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Oct 2025.

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