Cognitive Remediation Therapy Training Information Sheet
About Cognitive Remediation Therapy
Many people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia experience significant problems in
concentration, memory, planning and problem-solving. They are frequently painfully
aware of these problems and report that they prevent them from doing valued activities
such as reading, watching TV or getting back to work. There is now also a large body of
research evidence to suggest that cognitive difficulties are associated with poorer social
functioning, quality of life, response to rehabilitation and work performance as well as
higher dependence on psychiatric services. Therefore, if cognitive function can be
improved then everyday performance and quality of life may also improve.
The CRT programme taught on this course is an individual psychological therapy which
aims to improve cognitive functioning in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In
previous trials of the programme, people who received CRT made significantly greater
improvements in memory and flexible thinking than people who received an alternative
therapy based on occupational therapy activities. CRT also had a beneficial impact on selfesteem and cognitive improvements were associated with improved functioning in social
situations. A study carried out by service-users found that the therapy was highly valued by
participants, and that they reported noticeable improvements in their thinking skills.
CRT needs to be delivered intensively, taking place on most weekdays over three months.
The course will help you to think about ways in which you can deliver CRT flexibly to fit
in with your own service, for example by delivering CRT in group or helping patients to
work independently at home. It targets concentration, memory, problem-solving, planning
and metacognition and teaches people to develop strategies to overcome their difficulties.
A variety of tasks are presented and repeated in each session, which are tailored to the
individual to ensure that participants experience a high degree success and get lots of
positive feedback.
Who can receive training?
The training is suitable for mental health professionals including for example assistant
psychologists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, psychiatric nurses and
psychiatrists.
Essential skills required by potential trainees:
1. Ability to interact calmly and empathically with people with severe mental health
problems.
2. Ability to use psychological principles to inform interactions with others.
3. Ability to motivate and engage people with severe mental health problems.
Course content
The course takes place over two days. It covers:
(a) CRT research
(b) the theoretical background to CRT
(c) a model for the target cognitive skills and how they may relate to everyday living
skills
(d) the core skills needed to administer CRT
(e) assessment
(f) clinical issues in delivering CRT
(g) service-related issues (e.g. the practicalities of therapy and how it may be
accommodated within services).
It includes some teaching and live demonstration, video presentations, pair work
(particularly to practice CRT tasks), group work and discussion. On the final day, each
trainee has the opportunity to practice delivering CRT with a service user who is
experienced in doing CRT, supervised by a CRT therapist. The aim is for trainees to gain
enough working knowledge of CRT and to have had sufficient practice of CRT tasks to be
able to begin therapy with clients under supervision.
There are usually about 15 trainees taking each course which is run by two or three
trainers. Each trainee will receive a copy of the CRT manual and a Clinician’s Guide to
CRT (Reeder and Wykes, 2002).
Useful References
Wykes T. and Reeder C. (2005). Cognitive Remediation Therapy: Theory and Practice.
East Sussex, UK, Routledge.
WYKES T., HUDDY V., CELLARD C., MCGURK S.R. & CZOBOR P. (2011) A metaanalysis of cognitive remediation for schizophrenia: methodology and effect sizes.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 472-485
Contact
For further information, please contact Geraldine Davis on geraldine.davis@kcl.ac.uk 020
7848 5040.