Effectiveness of integrated psychological therapy on cognitive function among Lebanese patients with schizophrenia: a pilot study

Background: The integrated term emphasises the need for cognitive therapy to always be embedded into an extended treatment concept adapted to cognitive resources and deficits and to patient rehabilitation. One of the first approaches is integrated psychological therapy (IPT).Aim: To assess the effect of the IPT Programme compared to the Treatment as Usual (TaU) in terms of cognitive performance and social skills among a group of schizophrenic patients.Methods: This randomised controlled study enrolled 20 patients in each group. Patients attended 60-min sessions, 3 days/week.Results: When considering the TaU group, the bivariate results showed that significantly higher means of attention scores, lower means in social dysfunction and aggression, social adaptation scores were found after IPT compared to before. The effect size for all tests was found to be weak. When considering the IPT group, significantly higher means attention score, lower means cognitive disorders, social dysfunction, aggression and social adaptation scores were found after IPT compared to before. The effect size for all tests was found to be high.Conclusion: The therapeutic combination of the IPT programme with medical treatment has shown additional beneficial effects on the schizophrenic patients’ treatment, enabling them, as far as possible, to reintegrate into the community.KEY POINTSIn cases, a significantly higher GZ-F and KL scores and a lower SDAS-9 and SDAS-6 scores were found post-IPT respectively.In controls, a significant increase in the GZ-F and KL subscales and a decrease in all other scales was found post-IPT respectively.This therapeutic combination of the integrative programme with medical treatment has shown additive beneficial effects in patients with schizophreniaThe treatment approach would allow them, as far as possible, to reintegrate within the community.