Psychological

• Psychological treatments for schizophrenia include:

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
  • Family therapy.
  • Token economies.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

  Aims to help identify irrational thoughts and change them.

  • discussing how likely the patient's beliefs are to be true and suggesting less threatening possibilities.
• Family therapy

  Aims to improve the quality of communication within the family.

  • Involves both the patient and the patient’s family
• Token economies

  • reward system to manage the behaviour of patients
  • secondary reinforcers - only have value once pps know they can be used for rewards.
  • discourages patterns of maladaptive behaviour developed after spending long periods in psychiatric hospitals.
• What is the aim of psychological treatment?

  do not cure schizophrenia but try to make the condition more manageable for both sufferers and their families.
• Why is token economy seen as unethical?


  • Contradicts right to privacy and food - they must be earned
  • privileges ppl with less severe symptoms - compliance is lower amongst those with more severe symptoms.
  • discrimination against very ill patients, leading to some families challenging the legality of the system.