Table 1 Measures collected at baseline, 10 weeks, 20 weeks, and 32 weeks

 Abbreviated Quality of Life Scale (A-QLS)

The A-QLS [19] is a 10-min semi-structured interview administered by a trained RA that measures subjective and objective aspects of functioning on 8 items in the past 4 weeks.

 Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)

Assessed via clinical interview and subjectively rated by trained interviewers, the 24-item BPRS total score will be used to measure global psychopathology. The four BPRS positive symptom items—conceptual disorganization, suspiciousness, hallucinatory behavior, and unusual thought content—will be used to measure positive psychotic symptoms [20].

 Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS)

Assessed via clinical interview and subjectively rated by trained interviewers, the 13 CAINS items are rated 0 (no impairment) to 4 (severe deficit) measuring the two negative symptom factors: expression and Motivation and Pleasure (MAP) across social, vocational, and recreational domains [21].

 Comprehensive Modules Test (CMT)

The CMT is a 15-min interview assessing mastery of the content in the 2 CBSST modules and has been used in all prior CBSST trials. Questions with vignettes were developed to assess mastery of thought challenging (max = 11) and social communication (max = 11) skill knowledge. The CMT total score (max = 22) will be used.

 Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) Toolkit

The PSR Toolkit [22] is a 10-min interview used to collect information on employment, educational activity, and residential situation. In this brief interview, status in each functioning domain is rated on a progressive scale, ranging from the absence of meaningful functioning in the domain to fully independent functioning.

 Defeatist Performance Attitude Scale (DPAS)

The DPAS is a 15-item, 5-min self-report subscale of the commonly used 40-item Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) derived from factor analysis. The DPAS indexes defeatist attitudes about one’s ability to perform tasks [23].

 Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS) – primary outcome

The ILSS [24] is a self-report measure of everyday functional living skills for patients with SMI that has proven to be reliable, stable, sensitive, and valid in multiple samples. The 51-item yes-no questionnaire takes less than 10 min to administer and assesses whether or not specific functioning behaviors have been performed over the past month.

 Patient Activation Measure (PAM)

Patient activation is a self-report measure that refers to the knowledge, skills, confidence, and attitudes patients have for managing health and treatment. The shortened PAM is a 5-min,13-item measure in which respondents endorse items (e.g., “I know what each of my prescribed medications do”) on a scale from 1 (“disagree strongly”) to 4 (“agree strongly”) [25].

 Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) Toolkit

The PSR Toolkit [22] is a 10-min interview used to collect information on employment, educational activity, and residential situation. In this brief interview, status in each functioning domain is rated on a progressive scale, ranging from the absence of meaningful functioning in the domain to fully independent functioning.

 Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS)

The RAS [26,27,28] is a 10-min checklist that assesses aspects of recovery with a special focus on hope and self-determination. The RAS has 41 items on which respondents rate themselves using a 5-point scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. The RAS is intended for use and has been tested with patients with SMI who receive services in outpatient settings and in peer-run programs.