ABSTRACT
Aim: The purpose of this study is manifold: to develop a trainer skill rating scale for metacognitive training (MCT), to determine the difficulty level of the behavioral checklist, and to examine the reliability and validity of the MCT Trainer Skills Rating Scale. Method: In Study 1, an MCT trainer skill behavior checklist was developed with expert staff members, and a questionnaire was administered to MCT trainers. Item categorization was identical to that used in previous studies. In Study 2, a video was used to conduct the survey. All subjects were given a 1-hour training session, instructed on evaluating the MCT Trainer Skills Rating Scale, and asked to rate their trainer skills on a mock video designed for beginners and a mock video designed for advanced trainers. Result: In Study 1, responses from 49 respondents were obtained. The survey results showed that 72 items were classified similarly to previous studies. In Study 2, two pairs were randomly selected, and weighted kappa coefficients were calculated for the sub-items of the MCT Trainer Skills Rating Scale. High agreement was obtained with K = 0.71 and K = 0.73, indicating high reliability. Conclusion: High reliability was obtained for all eight items of the MCT Trainer Skills Rating Scale created in this study. In addition, the video evaluation scores for the advanced trainer were significantly higher than those for the beginner trainer, suggesting that discriminant validity was confirmed among the criterion-related validity. These results confirm that the scale has both high reliability and validity.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Nepean Beliefs Scale by Brakoulias et al. is an interview-based multidimensional instrument that measures pathological beliefs in various psychiatric disorders. This study examined the reliability and validity of Nepean Beliefs Scale (NBS) for delusions and overvalued ideas in patients with chronic-phase schizophrenia. Methods: Multiple raters at two healthcare settings examined the beliefs of 28 individuals with schizophrenia using the NBS. Concurrently, PANSS, PDI-21, BCIS, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were administered. Results: The NBS had high reliability and correlation with relevant scales. Discussion: The NBS was found to have sufficient reliability and validity for assessing the pathological beliefs of patients with chronic schizophrenia. Although NBS is an easy-to-instruct instrument, it should be noted that appropriate explanations and examples should be added to instructions to obtain reliable responses from patients with chronic schizophrenia.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the efficacy of 10-module metacognitive training (MCT) among Japanese patients with schizophrenia by conducting a multicenter randomized controlled trial to test the influence of the most recent and extended version of MCT on positive symptoms. A six-center, randomized, assessor-blind, controlled trial between "treatment as usual" (TAU) and TAUâ¯+â¯MCT was conducted. Fifty inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia, schizotypal, and delusional disorders (ICD 10) were enrolled, then randomly assigned to TAU (nâ¯=â¯26) or TAUâ¯+â¯MCT (nâ¯=â¯24). Assessments were made at baseline, after six weeks, immediately posttreatment, and 1-month post-treatment. The primary outcome was positive symptom score, as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). General assessment of functioning (GAF) and measures of cognitive biases were secondary outcomes. Completion at post-treatment (10â¯weeks later) and 1-month follow-up was high-TAUâ¯+â¯MCT, nâ¯=â¯22 (91.67%) and TAU, nâ¯=â¯23 (88.46%). The severity of PANSS positive symptoms declined significantly in the TAUâ¯+â¯MCT treatment group compared with the TAU group. GAF also showed significantly greater improvement in the TAUâ¯+â¯MCT group compared with the TAU group. There was also a trend for greater efficacy of MCT on cognitive biases. In conclusion, this study provides support for the efficacy of 10 module MCT concerning positive symptomatology (especially, delusion) and general functioning.
