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.

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: = 0.021, Cohen's d = 0.38 and in the Physical health domain: = 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, = 0.014) and visit 2 (r = 0.42, = 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, = 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.