Project Summary

Stefanie Berns, M.D. (Young Investigator 2000) of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, is evaluating the benefits of using an electronic assistive device to help patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder to participate in their rehabilitation program.  This device is designed to compensate for neuropsychological impairment by providing a series of reminders and cues via a special pager with a screen.   Preliminary studies of patients with brain injury suggest that the use of such as device results in improvements in independence.  Dr. Berns will compare several measures, including neuropsychological function, quality of life, and disability measures between two randomly assigned groups of patients--one with the assistive device, and one without the device, in order to examine the potential impact of this device on these measures.  It is hypothesized that the subjects receiving the device will have better program attendance, progress, and outcome, as well as an improved quality of life and independent functioning.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

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