Adaptation Process of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) in an Indian Context for Persons with Schizophrenia.
SCIT can be culturally adapted for Indian adults with schizophrenia by localizing materials and adding family practice partners.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Ravinder et al. (2025) asked if Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) could work for Indian adults with schizophrenia. They rewrote stories, swapped faces, and added family members as practice partners. Three adults tried the new version while four local experts checked every page for fit.
What they found
The small pilot showed the plan is doable. All three participants finished every session. Experts said the new stories and faces felt right for Indian life. Family partners learned the drills and coached at home.
How this fits with other research
Pak et al. (2024) did the same kind of rewrite for Spanish-speaking families using EMT. They also translated materials and matched coaches to culture. Both studies show the same recipe works across languages and diagnoses.
Sivaraman et al. (2020) reviewed nine ABA telehealth projects around the world. Every project used that same recipe: translate, match trainers, tweak examples. SCIT-India is a live example of the pattern they described.
Sengupta et al. (2025) ran caregiver training in India and hit roadblocks like time and travel. SCIT-India sidesteps those by keeping adults in their own homes with family as coaches, showing one way to solve the logistics puzzle.
Why it matters
You now have a clear, low-cost way to bring social-cognition work to Hindi- or Tamil-speaking adults. Translate the SCIT stories, swap in local photos, and invite a sibling or parent to coach. Start with one client, run the pilot protocol, and track feasibility just like Ravinder et al. (2025). If it flies, you have an open door to wider use without waiting for costly imports.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Interventions aimed at enhancing social cognition deficits in individuals with schizophrenia are globally supported by evidence demonstrating improvements in various functional outcomes. The Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) intervention was adapted for use in the Indian context for individuals with schizophrenia using the Reporting Cultural Adaptation in Psychological Trials (RECAPT) guidelines, informed by expert consultations. This included contextually relevant changes in the resource materials (print, photographs, and video) and the development of additional resources. Changes in the intervention delivery process included the use of individual sessions with adjunctive group sessions. Initial feasibility was assessed via a pilot tryout of the adapted SCIT on three persons diagnosed with schizophrenia. This informed additional changes for future applications of the adapted SCIT, such as structured involvement of family members as practice partners and modifications in the intervention delivery format. Content validation process for the final adapted intervention modules was carried out by four mental health practitioners. The experiences, challenges, and decision-making process involved in the adaptation are outlined, along with implications for future research and contextually tailored intervention strategies.
Behavior modification, 2025 · doi:10.1177/01454455251369724