WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR ONGOING RESEARCH STUDIES. EACH OF OUR STUDIES PROVIDES COMPENSATION FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.

Social Cognition Battery for Psychosis Risk (SCB-PR): A Psychometric and Validation Study

This NIMH-funded is a collaboration between Northwestern University and The University of Texas at Dallas. We  aim to improve and validate assessments that are appropriate for measuring social cognition in individuals who are at clinical high-risk for developing psychosis. 

More information about this study can be found on the SCB-PR page.

Clinical Trial of iTEST: A Blended Intervention Targeting Introspective Accuracy (iTEST)

This NIMH-funded clinical trial is a collaboration between UC San Diego and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) that is being conducted to find out whether a new intervention that combines individual coaching with responding to game-like tests on a mobile device could improve the ability to accurately assess one’s own abilities. This intervention is specifically designed for people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

RECENTLY COMPLETED STUDIES

Using Neural Stimulation to Reduce Symptoms and Improve Social Functioning in Schizophrenia

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between psychotic symptoms and social functioning in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our goal is to determine whether stimulating the brain using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can improve psychotic symptoms and daily functioning.

Schizophrenia International Research Society Social Cognition Harmonization Award

Social cognition is highly relevant for day-to-day functioning and is widely studied. However, harmonization is significantly limited by current measurement approaches, which often ignore the potential influence of culture and utilize a wide variety of tasks, many of which may not be psychometrically sound across cultures. With this award, we hope to develop a unified, cross-culturally valid approach to social cognitive research that will facilitate comparison of results across studies and ultimately contribute to treatment development and evaluation.

See more information on this project.

Introspective Accuracy, Bias, and Everyday Functioning in Mild Cognitive Impairment

The purpose of this study is to further our knowledge about how individuals with mild cognitive impairment evaluate their own abilities and skills. Our goal is to determine whether symptoms impact how individuals rate their own abilities and whether judgments of abilities affect daily functioning.

Improving Visual Attention to Social Stimuli in Individuals with Schizophrenia

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between visual attention and social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our goal is to determine whether stimulating the brain using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can improve visual attention and performance on social cognitive tasks.