There were 9 RCTs of social skills training (471 patients) and 5 RCTs of cognitive remediation (203 patients according to the tables).
Social skills training.
A pooled analysis of 4 RCTs (125 patients) showed no significant difference in relapse in the first year of treatment between social skills training and all other treatments; the OR (fixed-effect model) was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.43, 1.29); no significant heterogeneity was found (P=0.29). A pooled analysis of 2 RCTs (264 patients) suggested that other active treatments may be more effective in reducing relapse rates at one to two years than social skills training; the OR (random-effects model) was 3.88 (95% CI: 0.22, 69.67); significant heterogeneity was found (P=0.02).
A pooled analysis of 3 RCTs (155 patients) showed no significant difference in relapse in the first year of treatment between social skills training and other active treatments; the OR (fixed-effect model) was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.29, 1.33); no significant heterogeneity was found (P=0.54).
A pooled analysis of 6 RCTs (235 patients) showed no significant difference in treatment noncompliance between social skills training and all other treatments; the OR (fixed-effect model) was 1.31 (95% CI: 0.79, 2.17); no significant heterogeneity was found (P=0.64).
A pooled analysis of 2 RCTs (92 patients) showed no significant difference in global adjustment between social skills training and active treatments; the ES (fixed-effect model) was 0.153 (95% CI: -0.56, 0.26); no significant heterogeneity was found (P=0.56).
Studies of social function and quality of life could not be pooled due to the diversity of the outcome measures. One RCT showed no significant difference in social functioning between social skills training and a discussion group. Another showed that social skills training improved social adjustment in comparison with supportive psychotherapy. One RCT showed no significant difference between social skills training and psychosocial occupational therapy. Some RCTs showed benefit on some outcome measures but the outcomes used in each RCT differed.
Cognitive remediation.
A pooled analysis of 2 RCTs (87 patients) showed no significant difference in attention between cognitive remediation and control treatments; the ES (fixed-effect or random-effects model) was 0.11 (95% CI: -0.31, 0.53).
A pooled analysis of 4 RCTs (117 patients) showed no significant difference in verbal memory between cognitive remediation and control treatments; the ES (fixed-effect or random-effects model) was 0.14 (95% CI: -0.23, 0.50).
A pooled analysis of 2 RCTs (48 patients) showed no significant difference in visual memory between cognitive remediation and control treatments; the ES (random-effects model) was 0.35 (95% CI: -0.46, 1.16).
A pooled analysis of 2 RCTs (84 patients) showed no significant difference in mental state between cognitive remediation and control treatments; the ES (fixed-effect or random-effects model) was 0.23 (95% CI: -0.66, 0.20).
Studies of executive functioning could not be pooled due to the diversity and multiplicity of the outcome measures.