Evidence-Based Group Therapy in Schizophrenia

Psychotherapy as an important supplement of pharmacotherapy plays a central role in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia as deficits in coping with the illness and its symptoms (e.g., treatment nonadherence) as well as social deficits occur. Family interventions and cognitive-behavioural groups combined with psychopharmacological strategies have gained importance during the last 30 years and proved its effectiveness in controlled randomised studies. The effectiveness of social skills training, cognitive rehabilitation und psychoeducation is less convincing up to now. Treatment goals are improving psychosocial functioning and relapse prevention. Up to now it is still unclear whether individual or group therapy perform better or are of the same value.