Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for psychosis is one of the most promising psychological interventions currently available for people with schizophrenia.  It has developed, largely in the UK, over the past 20 years, and recent meta-analyses have supported its effectiveness and inclusion in UK guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, there is still scope for improvement in effectiveness, for example through refinement of existing cognitive techniques, or the introduction of new ones. This lecture will firstly describe some of the main components of CBT for psychosis, and will discuss the Garety et al. (2001) model of positive symptoms, which is often used to guide assessment, formulation and intervention with patients. It is noted that new techniques are needed to help patients re-evaluate distressing appraisals of anomalous experiences, as these are often difficult to change. In addition, there has been a paucity of work in CBT on understanding and alleviating behavioural features of psychosis such as negative symptoms or incoherent speech, and theoretical and clinical developments are needed in this domain.

One explanation for delusion formation within the Garety et al. (2001) model is Chris Frith’s (1992) proposal that individuals with psychosis have impaired Theory of Mind (ToM), the cognitive ability to attribute mental states to other people. Frith’s hypothesis will be briefly reviewed, and it will be noted that, to date, the theory has been used in only a minor way to guide CBT for psychosis; possible reasons for this are discussed. A number of factors suggest that Frith’s theory could make important new contributions to CBT for psychosis for both positive and negative symptoms. These factors will be explored, before moving on to specific suggestions for ways in which the theory could promote theoretical and clinical developments in CBT for psychosis. The lecture will conclude with a summary and suggestions for future research.

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place: Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Skovagervej 2, 8240 Risskov, denmark 

time: 2:35 pm - 3.40 pm

date: november 9th

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