SCHIZOPHRENIA - Psychological therapy for schizophrenia

Question 1

what is CBT?

Answer 1

Cognitive behavioural therapy = commonly used to treat schizophrenia
- usually 5 to 20 sessions
- in groups or individual basis
- aims to deal with thoughts and behaviour

Question 2

How does CBT help to treat schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• explains how irrational cognition (hallucinations/ delusions) impacts their feelings and behaviour.
• understanding where symptoms come from can be helpful for those with symptoms = can help to make people better able to cope with them.

Question 3

Give two examples of how CBT is used.

Answer 3

• Normalisation - e.g. people hearing voices can be told that voice hearing is an extension of ordinary experience
• delusions can be challenged by the process of reality testing
• use to tackle anxiety and depression that result from living with schizophrenia.

Question 4

What is family therapy?

Answer 4

Psychological therapy carried with some members of a family with the aim to improve communication with the family = reducing the stress of living as a family

Question 5

How does family therapy help treat schizophrenia? What did pharaoh et al (2010) identify.

Answer 5

pharaoh et al (2010) = identified a range of strategies

1. Reduce negative emotions such as anger and guilt = this reduces stress which is important to reduce likelihood of relapse
2. Improved families’ ability to help = therapist improves family’s beliefs about behaviour towards schizophrenia. Ensure family members are achieving a balance between caring for the individual with schizophrenia and maintaining their own lives.

Question 6

Summarise Burbach’s (2018) Model of Practice.

Answer 6

Phase 1- sharing basic information and providing emotional and practical support.
Phase 2- identifying resources including what different family members can and cannot offer.
Phase 3- aims to encourage mutual understanding, and create a safe space for all members to express their feelings.
Phase 4- identifying unhelpful patterns of interaction.
Phase 5- skills training such as learning stress management techniques.
Phase 6- relapse prevention.
Phase 7- maintenance for the future.

Question 7

Evaluate CBT to treat schizophrenia.

Answer 7

+ evidence for effectiveness = Jauhar et al (2014) = reviewed 34 studies using CBT and found a small but significant effect on positive and negative symptoms.
Pontillo et al (2016) = find reductions in frequency + severity of auditory hallucinations

+ The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends CBT for schizophrenia

= there is both research and clinical experience support for the benefits of CBT for schizophrenia

• Thomas et al (2015) = different studies, use different techniques and combinations = it is hard to say how effective CBT will be for a particular person with schizophrenia.

Question 8

Evaluate family therapy to treat schizophrenia.

Answer 8

+ evidence for effectiveness = McFarlane (2016) = concluded that Family therapy was one of the most effective treatments available for schizophrenia. Relapse rates was seen to be reduced. = NICE recommends family therapy for everyone with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

• Lobban + barrowclough (2016) = concluded that the effects on families are important because families provide the bulk of care for people with schizophrenia.
  Family therapy lessens the negative impact on other family members due to schizophrenia