Discuss the Use of Psychological Therapies as Treatment for Schizophrenia

AO1

CBT

  • identify IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS and CHALLENGE them through an ARGUMENT or DISCUSSION in 5 to 20 sessions
  • this helps the patient make sense of their THOUGHTS and SYMPTOMS and showing them that their symptoms are UNLIKEY to be TRUE
  • LOWERS ANXIETY but doesn’t IRRADICATE the SYMPTOMS of DELUSIONS, PARANOIA and HALLUCINATIONS

FAMILY THERAPY

  • improves THE QUALITY of COMMUNICATION and INTERACTION between MEMBERS = lowers STRESS in the FAMILY to STOP A RELAPSE and lower EXPRESSED EMOTION
  • PHAROAH ET AL: family therapy – LOWERS the STRESS of CARING for the RELATIVE, INCREASES the ability to ANTICIPATE and SOLVE PROBLEMS, LOWER ANGER and GUILT and IMPROVES FAMILIES’ BELIEFS = MORE LIKELY to comply to MEDS

TOKEN ECONOMY

  • ESPECIALLY for those in PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS for LONG PERIODS who develop BAD HYGIENE or remain in pjs
  • DOESN’T CURE but does improve the QUALITY of LIFE and to be SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE
  • TOKENS = disc for DESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR, REINFORCEMENT and OPERANT CONDITIONING – should be done IMMEDIATELY and they have SECONDARY REINFORCERS like SWEETS, CIGS AND MAGS, SERVICES and PRIVILEDGES

AO3

  • IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE NOT CURE: CBT – make sense and challenge symptoms / FT – lowers stress in the family / TE – behave more socially acceptable = DOESN’T CURE LIKE DRUG THERAPIES
  • ETHICAL ISSUES: helps those ONLY with MILD SYMPTOMS, NOT SEVERE = DISCRIMINATION + CBT interferes with PATIENT’S PARANOIA – what point does it interfere with the individual’s FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
  • EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS: PHAROAH: reviewed evidence of FT and found MODERATE evidence to show therapy gave a DROP IN READMISSION BUT ONLY VERY EFFECTIVE when with DRUG THERAPIES and the evidence is INCONSISTENT + QUALITY = WEAK
  • QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: SMALL SCALE – professionals compared patients BEFORE and AFTER TREATMENT = POSITIVE BUT often LACK A CONTROL GROUP and NOT BEING RANDOMLY ALLOCATED