Metacognitive and Insight Therapy for Persons With Schizophrenia (RCT MERIT)

NCT03427580 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: MERIT
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 54
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

People with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are faced with significant metacognitive impairments that include difficulties in their ability to form complex representations of the self and others. These impairments are associated with increased symptoms, impaired subjective self-experiences, and lower social functioning. As a result, interventions that enhance metacognitive capacity have been recently developed and explored. One of these interventions is Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy (MERIT; Lysaker et al., 2014). MERIT is an integrative model of psychotherapy that seeks to promote holistic metacognitive capacity and consequently increase a positive sense of agency and sense of meaning in life among clients with schizophrenia. Several case studies (including in Bar-Ilan's community clinic), as well as a recent pilot study, showed increased metacognitive abilities and a decrease in symptoms following MERIT. The current study will explore both the effectiveness and the change mechanisms that underlie MERIT interventon among clients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, via both pre- and post-measures of the intervention's outcome and session-by-session estimations of the therapeutic process.

Conditions

Diagnosis of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Keywords

Schizophrenia; Psychotherapy; Metacognitive abilities; Session by session assessment; Outcome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Metacognition Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A)

  The Metacognition Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A) is a rating scale used to assess metacognitive abilities in individuals, particularly those with psychiatric conditions. The scale consists of four domains that reflect one's ability to understand different mental phenomena and use this understanding in order to cope with psychological challenges. Higher scores indicate a higher complexity of functions and ideas in each domain, i.e. higher values represent a better outcome. The four scales/domains: 1. self-reflectivity (min 1 to max 9) ; 2. understanding of the other's mind (min 1 to max 7) ; 3. decentration (min 1 to max 3) ; 4. mastery (min 1 to max 9). The total score is the sum of the ratings in each subscale. Thus, the total score can be ranged from 4 (min) to 28 (max), when higher values represent a better outcome.

  Prior to the begining of the therapy (baseline, pre-treatment), and again at the end of the therapy (six months later, post-treatment)

Study Arms (2)

treatment group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: MERIT

delayed treatment control group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: MERIT

Interventions

MERIT BEHAVIORAL

Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy

delayed treatment control group; treatment group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders
• Ability to provide informed consent
• Ability to read and write in Hebrew

You may not qualify if:

• No co-morbid nuerological condition
• No hospitalization in the last 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bar-Ilan University, Israel: lead

Study Sites (1)

Bar-Ilan University

Ramat Gan, Israel

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Lavi-Rotenberg A, Bar-Kalifa E, de Jong S, Igra L, Lysaker PH, Hasson-Ohayon I. Elements that enhance therapeutic alliance and short-term outcomes in metacognitive reflection and insight therapy: A session-by-session assessment. Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2020 Dec;43(4):318-326. doi: 10.1037/prj0000415. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

  PMID: 32271073 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Schizophrenia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Mental Disorders

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Prof. Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon
• Organization: Bar-Ilan University

ilanithasson@gmail.com

+972-3-5317673

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof. Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon, Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2018
• First Posted: February 9, 2018
• Study Start: March 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2021
• Study Completion: August 1, 2021
• Last Updated: March 6, 2025
• Results First Posted: March 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Locations

IL (1)