One intervention, which did specifically target self-esteem in psychosis, has been reported by Lecomte et al. (1999). This study found that an intervention aimed to promote self-esteem, derived from work with school children, gave rise to an increase in the use of active coping strategies and a decrease in positive symptoms in the experimental group. However, the researchers found no direct effect of the intervention upon levels of self-esteem. Because of the persisting problem of low self-esteem in psychotic patients, in spite of successful cognitive-behavioural treatments, a treatment method to enhance self-esteem was developed that focused on eliciting statement about positive qualities that the patient may have and then investigating evidence to support these positive statements (Tarrier, 2001). In the light of anecdotal evidence from clinical practice that this intervention was beneficial this study reports on a preliminary
randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of this method. Specifically we hypothesised that the chronic psychotic patients who received the self-esteem improvement intervention would show improvements on a measure of self-esteem. Our secondary hypothesis was that there would be clinical benefits as a result of receiving the experimental treatment in terms of improvement in psychotic symptoms and social functioning.