The effect of self-monitoring on Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder: a pilot study. Issue 3 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Robinson, Lucy J.; Gray, John M.; Ferrier, I. Nicol; Gallagher, Peter
• Is Part Of: Cognitive neuropsychiatry. Volume 21:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 256
• Page End: 270
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Bipolar disorder -- euthymic -- executive function -- cognitive remediation -- self-monitoring; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2016.1184134
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-6805

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objectives : Euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD) show executive impairment. Assisting cognitive function with non-pharmacological strategies has not been widely explored in BD. In schizophrenia, concomitant verbalisation ( self-monitoring ) during executive tests improved performance. The present pilot study assesses the effects of self-monitoring whilst completing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in BD patients. Methods : Thirty-six euthymic BD patients and 42 healthy controls participated. Twenty patients with BD and 20 controls received standard administration and 16 patients and 22 controls used self-monitoring during the test. Results : ANCOVA revealed a significant "group by administration" interaction. Patients who received the standard administration were significantly worse than healthy controls (trials administered: p = .012, η p 2 = 0.17; trials to first category: p = .046, η p 2 = 0.11; failure to maintain set: p = .003, η p 2 = 0.23). BD patients who self-monitored performed significantly better than patients receiving the standard administration (trials to first category: p = .020, η p 2 = 0.17) and showed no significant differences in performance compared to controls. Conclusion : Self-monitoring deserves further investigation as a tool that may be helpful for patients with BD. Further exploration of the utility, generalisability, and stability of the effects of self-monitoring is needed.