People with first episode psychosis and treatment-resistant schizophrenia show reduced ability to stabilize their decision-making strategies in uncertain environments, resembling effects previously seen with the drug ketamine. In two studies, participants completed a probabilistic reversal learning task. Those with first episode psychosis made more errors and shifted strategies too often after misleading feedback. The treatment-resistant schizophrenia group also shifted strategies more, though their overall accuracy was not significantly reduced. Computational modeling revealed that only the treatment-resistant schizophrenia group showed altered confidence-based modulation of responding, similar to ketamine effects, though these modeling results are considered preliminary due to model limitations.
A demonstration study assessed the feasibility of Quiet Time (QT), a classroom-based Transcendental Meditation intervention, in two pilot settings in the United Kingdom and Ireland, targeting children in middle childhood. In the UK, 89 students participated: sixth graders received QT, while fifth graders used the Headspace app. In Ireland, 100 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two schools participated: one received QT, the other served as a control. Recruitment and retention were high, and the intervention was accepted by students, parents, and teachers. Implementation fidelity was lower in the UK due to a later start and test preparation. Suggestive evidence indicates that QT improved working memory in both settings and, in Ireland, improved the ability to control responses. The results inform a future larger randomized controlled trial.