[PH-1-6] A New Dual-Task Training P for Balance Function of Middle-Aged Adults with Schizophrenia: Development and Feasibility
Background: Individuals with schizophrenia often experience premature aging and accelerated aging, which increases the challenge of care and recovery. Improvement in balance and prevention from and deceleration of the disability process is one of the critical issues in psychiatric rehabilitation. Unfortunately, evidence-based effective programs are limited. Recently, a novel balance training program through cognitive and balance dual-task training has shown better outcomes in the elderly and other clinical populations. Yet, dual-task balance training has not been examined for schizophrenia. This dual-task balance training with the Internet of Things (IOT) techniques is a novel program for middle-aged and older individuals with schizophrenia. Further study is needed to develop the training program and to examine its effectiveness.
Purposes: To develop a cognitive and balance dual-task training program involving the IOT technique software - Cognitive and Balance Training Simultaneously software (i.e., CogBals software). To understand the feasibility of the CogBals software for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia.
Methods: A training program and CogBals software were developed, and 6 participants with schizophrenia were recruited from a mental rehabilitation institute for testing the feasibility. Each participant received 60 minutes of training each time, twice a week, for a total of 2 weeks. After the training, the interview was held to understand the participant's feelings about the software and suggestions. This study is approved by the institutional review board at studying site.
Result: The CogBals software and the 12-week balance training program with this software have been developed, which include three aspects of balance training: static balance, muscle strengthening, and dynamic balance; and four types of cognitive tasks: reaction speed (N=18), memory test (N=38), cognitive flexibility (N=44), and attention challenge (N=14). In total, 114 cognitive tasks were developed, which were combined with various balance training tasks. A special deck of cards with IOT has been developed in answering cognitive tasks. Six participants (3 males and 3 females, aged 52.33 years) completed the feasibility process and provided positive feedback in general. Based on the interviews and training experience, we modified the CogBals software and training program. Some major revisions included the difficulty of the cognitive tasks, i.e., adjusting the number of memory items; and the tools used in training, i.e., adding a walker with an extension tube as support for taller participants.
Conclusion: A novel cognitive and balance dual-task training software (i.e., CogBals) and the program has been developed. The preliminary findings provide some modification suggestions and support its feasibility for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia. Currently, the effective investigation of the CogBals program is under process.
Purposes: To develop a cognitive and balance dual-task training program involving the IOT technique software - Cognitive and Balance Training Simultaneously software (i.e., CogBals software). To understand the feasibility of the CogBals software for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia.
Methods: A training program and CogBals software were developed, and 6 participants with schizophrenia were recruited from a mental rehabilitation institute for testing the feasibility. Each participant received 60 minutes of training each time, twice a week, for a total of 2 weeks. After the training, the interview was held to understand the participant's feelings about the software and suggestions. This study is approved by the institutional review board at studying site.
Result: The CogBals software and the 12-week balance training program with this software have been developed, which include three aspects of balance training: static balance, muscle strengthening, and dynamic balance; and four types of cognitive tasks: reaction speed (N=18), memory test (N=38), cognitive flexibility (N=44), and attention challenge (N=14). In total, 114 cognitive tasks were developed, which were combined with various balance training tasks. A special deck of cards with IOT has been developed in answering cognitive tasks. Six participants (3 males and 3 females, aged 52.33 years) completed the feasibility process and provided positive feedback in general. Based on the interviews and training experience, we modified the CogBals software and training program. Some major revisions included the difficulty of the cognitive tasks, i.e., adjusting the number of memory items; and the tools used in training, i.e., adding a walker with an extension tube as support for taller participants.
Conclusion: A novel cognitive and balance dual-task training software (i.e., CogBals) and the program has been developed. The preliminary findings provide some modification suggestions and support its feasibility for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia. Currently, the effective investigation of the CogBals program is under process.