Evidence mapPaperPMID 41661387Full record

Trial reportArchives of women's mental health2026

Sex differences in neurocognitive response to metacognitive training in first-episode psychosis: Implications for personalized interventions.

Marina Verdaguer-Rodríguez, Josep Oriol Comas, Raquel López-Carrilero, Luciana Díaz-Cutraro, Victoria Espinosa, Isabel Ruiz-Delgado, María Luisa Barrigón, Eva Grasa, Esther Pousa, Fermín González-Higueras and 5 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Archives of women's mental health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Marina Verdaguer-RodríguezEtiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
Josep Oriol ComasEtiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
Raquel López-CarrileroEtiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
Luciana Díaz-CutraroEtiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
Victoria EspinosaEtiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
Isabel Ruiz-DelgadoUnidad de Salud Mental Comunitaria Málaga Norte, UGC Salud Mental Carlos Haya, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, Spain.
María Luisa BarrigónCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
Eva GrasaCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
Esther PousaCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
Fermín González-HiguerasHospital Universitario de Jaén, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Jaén, Spain.
Jordi CidMental Health & Addiction Research Group, IdiBGi, Institut d'Assistencia Sanitària, Girona, Spain.
Esther Lorente-RoviraCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
Ana Barajas *Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
Spanish Metacognition Study Group
Susana Ochoa *Etiopatogènia i Tractament dels Trastorns Mentals Greus (MERITT), Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain. susana.ochoa@sjd.es.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeNeurocognitive impairments are a core feature of psychosis and impact long-term outcomes. While sex differences in neurocognition have been observed in first-episode psychosis (FEP), findings remain mixed, and little is known about differential responses to metacognitive interventions. This study examined sex differences in the effectiveness of Metacognitive Training (MCT) on neurocognitive outcomes in FEP.

methodsA total of 122 individuals with FEP were randomized to receive either MCT or psychoeducational intervention. Neurocognitive performance was assessed at baseline and at 6-month follow-up using a comprehensive battery (CPT-II, TMT, WCST, Stroop test, TAVEC, WAIS-III Digit Span). General Linear Models tested the effects of intervention, sex, and their interaction, both unadjusted and adjusted for covariates.

resultsMCT led to greater improvements than psychoeducation in immediate recall, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and attention. Improvements in immediate recall and Stroop Interference remained significant after adjustment, with Stroop performance also influenced by diagnosis. Across groups, men performed better in verbal memory, while women showed increased serial clustering in short-term recall, an effect that remained significant after adjustment. Notably, a group-by-sex interaction indicated that women receiving MCT experienced greater gains in short-term recall after controlling for covariates.

conclusionsMCT enhances specific neurocognitive functions in FEP and shows promising effects for women in verbal memory processes. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating sex and diagnostic factors when tailoring early interventions for psychosis and highlight the potential of MCT as a personalized cognitive strategy.

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyMetacognitionPsychotic DisordersAdolescentAdultCognitionCognitive FlexibilityCognitive TrainingFemaleHumansMaleNeuropsychological TestsProcessing SpeedSex FactorsTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultCognitionGenderIntersectionalityPsychological InterventionsPsychosis

Identifiers

PMID41661387
PMCPMC12886316

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.