Treatment
DIAGNOSIS: SCHIZOPHRENIA
TREATMENT: GROUP SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA
BRIEF SUMMARY
- Basic premise: "Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by incoherent or illogical thoughts, bizarre behavior and speech, and delusions or hallucinations, such as hearing voices. Schizophrenia typically begins in early adulthood. Antipsychotic drugs aren’t the only treatment people with schizophrenia need. Along with medication, psychotherapy and support can help them regain their lives. SST uses the principles of behavior therapy to teach communication skills, assertiveness skills, and other skills related to disease management and independent living."
Essence of therapy: "SST uses the principles of behavior therapy to teach communication skills, assertiveness skills, and other skills related to disease management and independent living. SST is usually conducted in small groups that are ideally led by two co-therapists. Skills are broken down into several discrete steps. After reviewing the steps of the skill, the therapist models the skill by demonstrating a role play. Participants then do role-plays to learn and practice the skill. Therapists and group members provide constructive feedback to the individual after each role play and each participant is given an opportunity to practice the skill several times. Repeated practice and “overlearning” of skills are important aspects of SST. Duration, frequency, and exact content of SST interventions depends on the needs of the client(s) and the treatment setting. SST may be even more helpful when supplemented with community-based practice opportunities and support."
https://www.apa.org/topics/schizophrenia
https://div12.org/treatment/social-skills-training-sst-for-schizophrenia/
TREATMENT RESOURCES
TREATMENT MANUALS
Group therapy for people with mental retardation: The interactive–behavioral therapy model (Tomasulo, 1999)
Social cognition and interaction training (SCIT): Group psychotherapy for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, clinician guide (Roberts et al., 2015)
WORKBOOK
Social and Independent Living Skills: Symptom Management Module. Clinical Research Center for Schizophrenia and Psychiatric Rehabilitation (Liberman, 1988)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
UCLS Social and Skills Modules
Group therapy for schizophrenia: A meta-analysis (Burlingame et al., 2020)
Efecto de una intervención psicosocial sobre calidad de vida, estado sintomático y construcción del sí mismo en pacientes diagnosticados de esquizofrenia paranoide (Gómez & Botella, 2007)
A randomized, controlled trial of cognitive behavioral social skills training for middle-aged and older outpatients with chronic schizophrenia (Granholm et al., 2005)
Group cognitive behavior therapy or social skills training for individuals with a recent onset of psychosis? Results of randomized controlled trial (Lecomte et al., 2008)
Group CBT for early psychosis—Are there still benefits one year later? (Lecomte, Leclerc, & Wykes, 2012)
Training skills for illness self-management in the rehabilitation of schizophrenia: A family-assisted program for Latinos in California (Liberman & Kopelowicz, 2009)
Functional adaptation skills training (FAST): a pilot psychosocial intervention study in middle-aged and older patients with chronic psychotic disorders (Patterson et al., 2003)
A randomized, controlled trial of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) for outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (Roberts et al., 2014)
A brief cognitive–behavioural social skills training for stabilised outpatients with schizophrenia: A preliminary study (Rus-Calafell et al., 2013)
Effects of psychosocial program for preparing long‐term hospitalized patients with schizophrenia for discharge from hospital: Randomized controlled trial (Sato et al., 2012)
A psychosocial skills training approach in Mexican out-patients with schizophrenia (Valencia et al., 2007)
Application in Mexico of psychosocial rehabilitation with schizophrenia patients (Valencia et al., 2010)