Psychological treatments of schizophrenia: CBT

• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for SCZ

  Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can be used in the treatment of schizophrenia, alongside other disorders such

  as depression. CBT for schizophrenia usually takes place for between 5-20 sessions, each lasting approximately an hour.

  The aim of CBT is to change schizophrenics’ maladaptive thinking and distorted perceptions into thought processes that are more in line

  with reality.
• What is the A B C D E of SCZ for CBT


  A Activating events

  B Beliefs

  C Consequences

  D Dispute

  E Effective beliefs
• describe activating events for CBT for scz

  The therapist and client will work together to identify the client’s activating events i.e. factors that cause the onset of their symptoms.
• describe beliefs

  The therapist and client will then explore the client’s beliefs about those factors and their symptoms e.g. how do they think about their auditory hallucinations?The therapist and client will then explore the client’s beliefs about those factors and their symptoms e.g. how do they think about their auditory hallucinations?
• Describe consequences for CBT for scz

  The therapist will then guide the client to recognize their consequences of their beliefs e.g. if they believe their hallucinations/delusions etc. are real, how do they impact their feelings and behaviour?
• Describe dispute for CBT for scz


  The therapist will begin to dispute the clients irrational beliefs. For example, is it logical to think people are out to get you? (If experiencing paranoid delusions), or is there any evidence to suggest your hallucinations are real? (If experiencing hallucinations). By teaching the client how to dispute their irrational beliefs, therapists also provide their schizophrenic clients with coping strategies that enable them to test and challenge their hallucinations and delusions outside the clinical setting.
• Describe effective beliefs for CBT for scz


  By working through the above sequence, the client’s maladaptive thinking is restructured into effective beliefs that are more consistent with reality.