Effects of cognitive stimulus therapy on middle-aged and elderly institutionalized patients with chronic schizophrenia with declined cognition

This study investigates whether using group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) effectively improves functioning among middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia and a below-normal cognitive range. The study included an experimental group (N = 24), which was divided into two sub-groups to receive group CST, and a control group (N = 24), who received treatment as usual (TAU). We assessed cognitive functions using the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). We evaluated the emotional status, psychotic symptoms, and quality of life using the Geriatric Depression Scale short-form 15 (GDS-15), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Dementia-Quality of Life (D-QoL) instrument. We performed all measures at three-time points: pre-CST, post-CST, and 3-month follow-up. Results: We found group CST can significantly improve cognitive performance, especially the ability to use new information, after group CST intervention. However, the experimental group did not maintain this effect at the 3-month follow-up. We found group CST can significantly improve cognitive performance, especially the ability to use new information, after group CST intervention. However, the experimental group did not maintain this effect at the 3-month follow-up. This study supports group CST can delay the degradation of some cognitive functions in long-term hospitalized patients with chronic schizophrenia for the duration of the intervention. This finding has important clinical implications for long-term institutionalized middle-aged and elderly chronic schizophrenic patients with a below-normal cognitive range in an aging society.