A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Types of Memory Training Programs in People With a Diagnosis of Mental Illness.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Types of Memory Training Programs in People With a Diagnosis of Mental Illness.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Types of Cognitive Training Interventions Administered to Individuals With a Diagnosis of a Mental Health Condition.

This study will compare the effectiveness of a psychoeducational memory program versus a computerized memory program in individuals with mental illness. Although improvements are expected with both form of interventions, we do not know which will provide maximal benefit in this population.

The aim of the current study is to compare two memory strategies, a top-down (i.e., educational and interventional)protocol vs. a bottom-up (computerized)protocol, in a population of individuals diagnosed with mental illness. Performance on ecologically validated memory tasks will be measured before and after each intervention protocol. Improvements are expected following each protocol. However, there is no evidence available to support added benefits from one protocol over another. As such, the current study will endeavour to contrast the two intervention types (top-down vs. bottom-up) to determine which, if any, provides maximal benefit.

Two types of memory protocols (psychoeducational vs computerized) will be compared in a population of individuals with mental illness.

A comparison of two type of memory intervention protocols; a psychoeducational/intervention protocol versus a computerized memory protocol in a population of individuals with mental illness.

Individuals participating in either protocol (i.e., top-down or bottom-up) will complete the memory measure before the commencement of the treatment and again at the end of treatment.

Participants will be asked to complete this measure prior to the start of the intervention and again at the completion of the intervention (i.e., interval of 5 weeks between pre and post measurements).

Participants will be asked to complete this measure prior to the start of the intervention and again at the completion of the intervention (i.e., interval of 5 weeks between pre and post measurements).

Participants will be asked to complete this measure prior to the start of the intervention and again at the completion of the intervention (i.e., interval of 5 weeks between pre and post measurements).

Inclusion Criteria: Memory impairment equivalent to 1.5 std. dev. below average for age Speak and read English fluently Exclusion Criteria: Older than 65 years of age Significant visual impairment (e.g., cataracts, macular degeneration) Motor impairment (e.g., hemiplegia on dominant side) Diagnosis of Dementia Alcohol and/or substance abuse (in past 3 months)