Effects of a neuropsychosocial teleassistance intervention on social cognition and health-related quality of life of pediatric patients with neuromuscular diseases

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of a neuropsychosocial teleassistance group-based intervention on improving social cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in pediatric neuromuscular diseases (NMD). Methods: Thirty-five pediatric patients with NMD were assigned to the neuropsychosocial intervention program (n = 20) or waiting list control condition (n = 15). The intervention group received an integrative approach that combines training in social cognition with cognitive behavioral therapy. All participants completed a neuropsychological and clinical assessment at baseline and follow-up, which included tests of social cognition, both for emotion recognition and theory of mind, and HRQoL. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance was used to determine the effects of the teleassistance program. Results: Group x Time interactions revealed significant improvements in the intervention group as compared with the control group for different social cognition's indicators (AR NEPSY-II: p = .003, eta(2)(p) = .24; TM NEPSY: p < .001, eta(2)(p) = .35; Verbal task: p < .001, eta(2)(p) = .35; Happe's Strange Stories: p = .049, eta(2)(p) = .11) and HRQoL (Psychosocial health: p = .012, eta(2)(p) = .18; Emotional functioning: p = .037, eta(2)(p) = 0.13; Social functioning: p = .006, eta(2)(p) = .21; Total: p = .013, eta(2)(p) = .17), showing medium to large effects. Conclusions: Patients receiving the neuropsychosocial intervention showed improvements in their social cognition performance and psychosocial HRQoL, providing evidence about the positive effects of the program in pediatric patients with NMD. This should be considered in further research and interventions in this field.