BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is one of the most efficacious psychotherapic techniques employed for the treatment of psychoses. OBJECTIVE: The authors review the evidence from the main clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses where CBT was applied in the treatment of schizophrenia as well as other disorders of the psychotic spectrum. The main techniques utilized in the trials are also described. METHOD: PubMed and Cochrane search of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses show that CBT is efficacious for certain symptoms of schizophrenia and may represent an add-on therapy for patients who are refractory to antipsychotics.
Cognitive behavior therapy; schizophrenia; psychosis
