Evaluation

• Strength - Evidence for effectiveness of CBT - Jawhar (2011) reviewed 34 studies of using CBT with schizophrenia concluding that there is clear evidence for small but significant effects on positive and negative symptoms. Pontillo (2016) found reductions in the frequency and severity of auditory hallucinations. Clinical advice from the national institute for health and care excellence reccommends CBT for schizophrenia. Means both research and clinical experience supports CBT for schiz treatment.
• x- quality of evidence - CBT techniques for schizophrenia symptoms vary case to case. Thomas (2015) points out different studies have involved the use of CBT techniques for different positive and negative symptoms. Overall modest benefits of CBT for schiz probably conceal a wide variety of effects of CBT techniques on different symptoms. Makes it hard to say how effective CBT is for particular people.
• strength- evidence for effectiveness - (Family Therapy) - Review of studies by McFarlane (2016) concluded that family therapy was found consistently as one of the most effective treatments. Relapse rates were found to be reduced by 50-60%. McFarlane also concluded using family therapy as mental health initially starts to decline brings better outcomes. Clinical advice from NICE recommends family therapy for everyone w/ schiz. Suggests family therapy can be beneficial with early and 'full-blown' schizophrenia.
• Benefits whole family - strength - Family therapy provides bulk care. A review by Lobban and Barrowclough (2016) concluding these effects are important because families provide bulk of care strengthening the functioning of the whole family and it lessens the negative impacts of schizophrenia. It also increases the ability of families to support the patient w/ schiz. Therefore family therapy can be seen to have many wider benefits.