Principles of psychosocial interventions for psychoses including schizophrenia
In addition to antipsychotic therapy, psychological and psychosocial interventions are essential to treating psychotic disorders, but most people with psychotic disorders do not receive adequate psychosocial interventions. Psychosocial interventions are particularly important to treat cognitive and negative symptoms, which are minimally affected by antipsychotics.
Provide psychoeducation to all patients and their family members, carers or significant others. Also assess whether the patient requires other psychosocial interventions including:
- accommodation support
- adherence therapy
- assertive community treatment
- behavioural therapy (eg for patients with negative symptoms)
- case management services
- cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis
- cognitive remediation for cognitive deficits (eg for patients with cognitive symptoms)
- coping strategies enhancement
- disability support
- motivational interviewing for patients with problem substance use
- social interventions to combat isolation
- social skills training (eg for patients with cognitive or negative symptoms)
- supported employment and education programs.