Memory and learning for sleep and circadian treatment in serious mental illness treated in a community mental health setting.

objectiveExisting research has demonstrated that patient memory and learning of treatment contents are poor and poorer learning is associated with worse treatment outcome. Most prior studies have included individuals from only a single diagnostic group, offer limited data on possible contributors to poor memory and learning, and have included small samples recruited in university settings. This study sought to describe patient recall of treatment contents, describe patient learning of treatment contents, examine contributors to patient recall and learning of treatment contents, and examine the association of patient recall and learning of treatment contents with treatment outcome.

methodsAdults with serious mental illness and sleep and circadian dysfunction (N = 99) received the Transdiagnostic Intervention for Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction in a community mental health setting. Measures of recall, learning, age, years of education, symptom severity, and treatment outcome were collected at post-treatment and 6-month follow-up.

resultsRecall and learning were poor, fewer years of education was associated with worse recall and learning, and recall and learning were not associated with treatment outcome.

conclusionsThe findings offer evidence that poor patient memory for, and learning of, treatment contents extends to community settings and are transdiagnostic concerns.