Randomized Clinical Trial of iTEST: A Blended Intervention Targeting Introspective Accuracy
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: iTEST, Active Control.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Schizophrenia Disorders, Schizoaffective Disorder, Psychotic Disorder. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention called iTEST for people with psychotic disorders that targets introspective accuracy, or the ability to accurately gauge ones abilities. iTEST combines daily cognitive training on a mobile device with coaching that addresses recovery goals. In this trial, we will randomize people to one of two interventions conditions, iTEST or a control condition that receives coaching and cognitive training that does not emphasize introspective accuracy. Both interventions will take place over 12 weeks and participants will be asked to complete assessments at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. The primary outcome of the study is community functioning. Participants will be from three metropolitan areas: San Diego, Dallas, or Miami.
Detailed description
This NIH-supported clinical trial is the second phase of a two-phase program, funded by Development of Psychosocial Therapeutic and Preventive Interventions for Mental Disorders, R61/R33. The overarching goal of this second R33 phase is to evaluate the replicability of R61 findings in a larger randomized control trial with iTEST, a new blended mobile intervention that is aimed at improving introspective accuracy (IA) in people with psychotic disorders, vs. a control condition that is time-equivalent but does not train in introspective accuracy. Introspective accuracy is the degree to which one's self-assessment of performance or abilities corresponds with objective data. Recent research indicates that poor IA is an independent predictor of functional disability. Yet, there are currently no treatments that directly target IA. Basic experimental research and other lines of evidence suggest IA is malleable, and that improvement in task-based IA transfers to untrained tasks. The investigators have developed and completed usability testing of iTEST, a novel blended IA targeted mobile intervention. iTEST integrates graduated drill-and-practice training in IA delivered on a mobile device with personalized coaching in applying IA to everyday compensatory behaviors. In the R61 open trial phase, people with psychotic disorders with at least minimal functional impairment were recruited and found that the intervention led to clinically significant changes in task-based IA along with transfer to an untrained task (target mechanisms). It was determined that the dose of intervention needed to achieve clinically significant improvement in IA targets was achieved at 12 weeks. Therefore, in this trial phase R33, the intervention will last for 12 weeks with a 3-month follow-up. A total of 201 persons who are diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder will be recruited into this trial
Interventions
- Behavioral iTEST
iTEST is a computerized training intervention delivered on a mobile device that is coupled with individual contacts with a therapist/coach. The mobile components train in improving participant's ability to form accurate judgments about their performance and their rate of functional activities. The intervention involves coaching coupled with automated training that is delivered on a mobile device. The automated training involves daily cognitive tests in which the goal for treatment is to improve - Behavioral Active Control
Behavioral: Mobile cognitive tests will be administered to control subjects. Participants will receive feedback regarding their performance but not on the accuracy of their self-ratings. Coaching will also be coupled with mobile cognitive tests and will include goal-setting without specific mention of Introspective Accuracy (IA). in place of content related to IA, participants will receive psychoeducation about the benefits of sleep, physical activity, and social connection to overall cognitive
Primary outcome measures
- Informant-Rated Specific Level of Function (SLOF) Scale [Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 month follow up]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Voluntary informed consent to participate and capacity to consent as measured by the UCSD Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC)
- Age 18 to 65;
- DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder based on a structured diagnostic interview and available medical record review;
- ≥ 6th grade reading level on the Wide Range Achievement Test-4 Reading subtest (needed to read instructions on device);
- Stable co-treatments (no hospitalizations or medication class changes in 2 months before enrollment). The investigators will determine symptom and medication stability by best-estimate history with information from medical records;
- Availability of a clinician (staff member, case manager, other mental health clinician) or close associate (family member, friend) with at least monthly contact who can be their informant
- Minimum level of functional impairment based on milestones, excluding participants who are full-time employed and financially responsible for their household.
Exclusion criteria
- Greater than moderate disorganization on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (P2-Disorganization item >5)
- DSM-5 alcohol or substance dependence in past 3 months based on interview
- Level of care required interferes with outpatient therapy (e.g., hospitalized; severe medical illness); 4) Unable to adequately see or manually manipulate a smartphone.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
United States · 3 centers
- UC San Diego — San Diego
- University of Miami — Miami
- University of Texas at Dallas — Dallas
Publications
- Berretta SA, Abaya N, Parrish E, McBride LE, Moore RC, Ackerman R, Harvey PD, Pinkham AE, Depp CA. Protocol for evaluation of iTEST, a novel blended intervention to enhance introspective accuracy in psychotic disorders. NPP Digit Psychiatry Neurosci. 2025;3(1):5. doi: 10.1038/s44277-024-00024-7. Epub 2025 Feb 14. PMID 39959603
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07098169 · 4R33MH129379