Published online Aug 19, 2023. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v13.i8.583
Peer-review started: June 20, 2023
First decision: July 7, 2023
Revised: July 17, 2023
Accepted: July 19, 2023
Article in press: July 19, 2023
Published online: August 19, 2023
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based adjunctive intervention for schizophrenia and has shown benefits.
Whether the combination therapy of cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) and mental health education shows superior benefits to mental health education alone in the management of schizophrenia?
This study aimed to compare the efficacy of CBGT combined with mental health single mental health education and mental health education alone for schizophrenia.
A total of 120 patients with schizophrenia were enrolled and allocated to an intervention group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60). Patients in the intervention group received CBGT therapy which was added as an adjunctive intervention to antipsychotics and mental health education. Patients in the control group only received antipsychotic drugs and mental health. The cycle of treatment is 8 wk. After a follow-up of four weeks, score for positive and negative symptom scale, social function, activities of daily living and medication compliance were measured.
It showed that 8 wk of CBGT combined with mental health education significantly alleviated symptoms and cognitive dysfunction and improved social functioning although it did not have a significant impact on medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia after 4 wk of follow-up.
The results of this study indicate that the combination therapy of CBGT and mental health education is a promising addition to antipsychotics.
To attain robust results, further large-scale studies should be conducted with the measurements of cognitive function, duration of illness, dosing of medication and other relevant factors are considered to support the clinical evidence.