Definitions of interventions and control groups (adapted from Clare and Woods1)
| Cognitive training | Repeated guided practice |
| Uses standardised tasks | |
| Theoretically motivated strategies | |
| Range of difficulties (adaptive) | |
| Aim for improvement in isolated cognitive domain with possibility of generalisation to non-trained task | |
| Cognitive stimulation: | Wide range of activities |
| Group format | |
| Significant emphasis on social interaction | |
| Aim for general improvement in cognitive function | |
| Not adaptive | |
| Significant use of reality orientation or reminiscence therapy | |
| Cognitive rehabilitation: | Individualised goals |
| Aim to improve everyday function/ADLs | |
| Compensatory approach | |
| Control group | |
| Active control group | Intervention matched for time/social interaction Intervention contains cognitive content not directly related to cognitive outcome measure |
| Non-active control group | Waiting list/treatment as usual or minimal intervention not matched for time/social interaction/no specific cognitive content |
ADLs, activities of daily living.