This research reviews 36 randomized controlled trials with 3,542 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia. All trial participants received standard care, with randomly selected cohorts receiving either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or a variety of other active or nonactive psychosocial therapies designed to develop the patient’s ability to interact and handle social situations in a positive manner. CBT has been officially recognized as an effective additional treatment to standard care for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia by the National Institutes of Health, with additional psychosocial therapies also presenting positive impacts at sometimes lower costs. Although there is no firm advantage for CBT over other versions of psychosocial therapies, as evidenced in the data results, further higher quality research is needed.

Reference: Jones C, Hacker D, Cormac I, et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy plus standard care versus standard care plus other psychosocial treatments for people with schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2019. 45(2):284-286. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sby188