Antipsychotic medications, the standard treatment
for schizophrenia, are generally quite effective in
reducing the positive symptoms of schizophrenia
but they have only a modest effect on the negative
symptoms of schizophrenia. Pharmacotherapy alone
tends to produce only limited improvements in social
functioning and quality of life. Serious disability often
persists throughout the patient’s lifetime despite
‘successful’ treatment of the clinical symptoms[1]. A
recent publication from the CATIE trial noted that only
small improvements in psychosocial functioning were
observed in patients taking atypical antipsychotics[2].
Adjunctive treatment with supportive psychosocial
therapies help alleviate residual symptoms and
improve social functioning and quality of life. A recent
randomized controlled trial involving ten clinical sites
in China concluded that patients with early stage
schizophrenia receiving combined treatment with
medication and a psychosocial intervention have a
lower rate of changing or stopping treatment, a lower
risk of relapse, improved insight, a better quality of life,
and better social functioning[3]. This article reviews the
main psychosocial interventions that have been used
effectively in patients with schizophrenia including
cognitive-behavioral therapy, family intervention
therapy, social skills training and cognitive remediation.
We also introduce other therapeutic approaches that
have become popular in mainland China: psychoeducation,
vocational rehabilitation, crisis intervention
and integrated psychotherapy. The differences in the
application of psychosocial interventions in China and
other countries will also be addressed.