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

Abstract

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.

Tablet-Based Cognitive and Eye Movement Measures as Accessible Tools for Schizophrenia Assessment: Multisite Usability Study

“…Additionally, the results of cognitive functioning measures, including the Codebreaker test, have been known to change longitudinally [33,62,63]. In our current study, we did not assess the longitudinal robustness of our findings.…”

“…Regarding one assessment, we used the Codebreaker task from the Japanese version of the THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it) iPad/iOS version 1.261 (THINC Task Force), which is a computerized version of the Digit Symbol Substitution Test paradigm. The reliability and stability of the THINC-it have been validated [31,32]; it has also been used in patients with schizophrenia in previous studies [33].…”

Psychopharmacology and Biological Studies of Psychosis

“…Szmyd et al presented a pilot study in order 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. The results of this research suggest that this application may be used as a cognitive measure in adults with schizophrenia in both clinical and research settings [ 6 ].…”