Supportive psychotherapy of the schizophrenic patient

The unimpressive results, in several classic studies, of expressive psychotherapy for schizophrenic patients have led to a neglect of all dynamic psychotherapy for these patients. However, there have been significant advances in psychodynamic supportive therapy over the past two decades and currently it is both well grounded in psychodynamic theory and has an accepted set of strategies and techniques. In this paper, we apply the general principles of psychodynamically oriented supportive therapy to the outpatient treatment of the schizophrenic patient. Outpatient treatment is divided into stabilization and maintenance phases. During stabilization, treatment focuses on building a therapeutic alliance, psychoeducation (including the family where appropriate) and establishing a bilaterally acceptable, clinically effective, pharmacological regimen. In the maintenance phase, the therapist becomes more therapeutically ambitious, particularly in undermining maladaptive, and supporting adaptive, defenses. Handling of the alliance, transference, countertransference, resistance, working through and attenuation (instead of termination) are addressed and illustrated with clinical material. The role of the supportive therapist also includes overall executive responsibility for the entire treatment, management of psychopharmacology, and clinically appropriate referrals for family work, social skills training and vocational rehabilitation. Studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this treatment approach; further, whether it is applicable to all schizophrenic patients or only to a particular subgroup.