%0 Journal Article
%T THINC-Integrated Tool (THINC-it): A Brief Measurement of Changes in Cognitive Functioning and Its Correlation with the Life Quality of Patients with Schizophrenia and Related Disorders-A Pilot Study.
%A Szmyd JK
%A Lewczuk K
%A Teopiz KM
%A McIntyre RS
%A Wichniak A
%J Brain Sci
%V 13
%N 3
%D Feb 2023 24
%M 36979199
%F 3.333
%R 10.3390/brainsci13030389
%X BACKGROUND: This pilot study aimed to assess patients' cognitive functioning with the Polish version of the THINC-it tool and to analyze its association with self-reported quality of life (QOL).
METHODS: Twenty-one patients (mean age: 37.8 ± 10.4) were assessed at baseline and after six weeks of a standard therapeutic outpatient program. Participants completed the World Health Organization QOL Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the THINC-it tool at both visits. The tool consists of tasks evaluating working memory (SYMBOL CHECK), attention (SPOTTER), executive functions (TRIALS), and cognitive skills (CODEBREAKER).
RESULTS: During the second visit, patients showed significant improvements in mean latency of correct responses of SPOTTER: p = 0.021, Cohen's d = 0.38 and in the Physical health domain: p = 0.007, Cohen's d = 0.37. The number of correct responses for CODEBREAKER was positively associated with the Physical health domain at visit 1 (r = 0.53, p = 0.014) and visit 2 (r = 0.42, p = 0.058). The number of correct responses at SYMBOL CHECK was positively related to QOL in the Environment domain only at visit 2 (r = 0.45, p = 0.042).
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the THINC-it tool has utility as a cognitive measure in adults with schizophrenia in both clinical and research settings.