A pilot randomized controlled trial showed that metacognitive abilities may be enhanced by using cognitive stimulation therapy in dementia-affected patients. Elodie Bertrand et al. sought to investigate the effect of cognitive stimulation therapy on the level of awareness in dementia patients.

Overall, 47 patients with mild to moderate dementia enrolled in an outpatient programme were randomly assigned to cognitive stimulation therapy (n = 23) or treatment as usual (n = 24) over the course of 7 weeks. Estimation of awareness was done prior to and post-intervention.

Both groups' participants became more aware of the condition, but only those who received cognitive stimulation therapy showed betterment in cognition-related awareness. Cognitive stimulation therapy may also enhance the metacognitive abilities of dementia patients, which may then be usefully employed in other settings.