Psychological therapy in schizophrenia: what is the evidence?

The present contribution provides a critical outline of the current position of psychological therapies in schizophrenia.

Therefore, empirical research into the efficacy of psychological interventions in the treatment of schizophrenic disorders has been reviewed.

Four cognitive-behavioural approaches have emerged as preeminently effective, or at least especially promising, as adjuncts to pharmacotherapy, i.e. the training of social skills, cognitive training programs for the remediation of neurocognitive deficits, psychoeducative, coping-orientated interventions with patients and their families, and cognitive-behavioural therapy of residual symptoms. These approaches are discussed with regard to their efficacy in reducing relapse rates, psychopathology as well as cognitive and social disability.

Open questions and possibilities for the further development of these approaches are considered and prognostications are made concerning the future of psychotherapy research in schizophrenia, notably in the light of changing conditions in public health care systems.