2 107 REVIEW OF APPLIED & CASUAL GAMES FOR MENTAL HEALTH Table A.7 Characteristics of the studies focussing on psychosis Paper Country Target group N % male Age, mean (SD) Age range Intervention arms Intervention characteristics Assessments Variables measured Findings relevant for current review Fisher et al. 2015 USA Adolescents and young adults who were within 5 years of psychosis onset 121*a 74.4 21.22 (3.33) 16-30 years 1. Computerised cognitive training of auditory processing and verbal learning; training exercises from Posit Science Corporation (applied game) + TAU. 2. Commercial computer games (casual games) + TAU. 2. Participants rotated through a series of 16 commercially available computer games Both conditions: Participants were asked to train/ play for 40 hours in total (one hour per day, 5 days per week, for 8 weeks). In addition, participants were contacted 1–2 times per week to discuss progress, and after every 10 sessions a ‘check-in’ appointment with coaching was provided. While in the trial, participants received treatment by outside providers or clinic personnel not involved in the study. Pre and post. Global cognition, speed of processing, working memory, verbal learning, verbal memory, visual learning, visual memory, problem solving, symptoms and functioning, global functioning; baseline reward anticipation (moderator); enjoyment, target engagement, adherence. Compared with those playing commercial computer games, participants in the auditory training group showed significant improvements in global cognition, verbal memory, and problem solving. Both groups showed a significant decrease in symptoms and no change in functional outcome measures. Holzer et al. 2014 Switzerland Adolescents with psychosis or at high risk of psychosis 32 56.3 15.53 (1.33) 13-17 years 1. Computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR); selection of tasks from Captain’s Log R software (active condition). 2. Computer games (casual games). 1. Sixteen 45-minute individual sessions, with a frequency of two sessions per week for 8 weeks, guided by a research psychologist. 2. A set of various videogames that require attention and visuo-motor skills was offered to patients, with two half-hour sessions weekly for 8 weeks. Pre, post and 4-months FU (i.e., 6 months post-baseline)**. Cognitive functioning: immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, delayed memory; symptoms, psychosocial functioning; compliance, motivation and engagement in treatment, time spent training/ playing. Improvement in visuospatial abilities was significantly greater in the CACR group than in the computer games group. Other cognitive functions, psychotic symptoms and psychosocial functioning improved significantly, but at similar rates, in the two groups.
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