The Relational Trip Task, a novel ecological measure of relational memory: data from a schizophrenia sample

Cogn Neuropsychiatry. 2021 Nov;26(6):421-440. doi: 10.1080/13546805.2021.1987870. Epub 2021 Oct 11.

Abstract

Introduction: Relational memory (RM) is severely impaired in schizophrenia. Unitisation can circumvent RM impairments in clinical populations as measured by the transverse-patterning (TP) task, a well-established measure of RM capacity. We compared memory performance on a new ecological RM measure, the Relational Trip Task (RTT), to that of TP at baseline and examined the effects of a unitisation intervention in RTT performance. RTT involves learning relational information of real-life stimuli, such as the relationship between people and places or objects.

Methods: TP and RTT performances were examined in 45 individuals with schizophrenia. TP-impaired participants (n = 22) were randomised to either the intervention or an active control group. TP and RTT were administered again after unitisation training. Task validity and reliability were assessed. Intervention group's pre- and post-RTT accuracies were compared and contrasted to that in the control group.

Results: RTT and TP were moderately correlated. TP non-learners had inferior performance in RTT at baseline. Improvement in RTT performance after unitisation training was observed in the intervention group; no pre-post improvement was observed in the control group.

Conclusion: RTT has an acceptable criterion validity and excellent alternate-form reliability. Unitisation seemed to be successfully generalized to support associations of real-life stimuli.

Keywords: Schizophrenia; generalisation; psychosis; relational memory; unitisation.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cognition
  • Humans
  • Learning
  • Memory Disorders
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Schizophrenia*