Group cognitive treatment for persistent auditory hallucinations: A controlled trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - Group cognitive treatment for persistent auditory hallucinations

T2 - A controlled trial

AU - Wykes, T

AU - Parr, A M

AU - Landau, S

PY - 1999/4

Y1 - 1999/4

N2 - Individual cognitive treatments for psychotic symptoms are expensive. and it may be more cost effective to provide them us a group format. The current study evaluated a group therapy foe voices’ which incorporated both nominalisation principles and coping strategy enhancement. It was provided over 6 weeks in 1-hour sessions, with a follow-up session 1 month later. The evaluation was a waiting-list control design. The main outcome measures were levels of symptoms, insight, and auditory hallucinations. Ancillary outcome measures included coping strategies and distress associated with the 'voices'. Assessments were carried out at baseline, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up. Twenty-one patients who fulfilled DSMIV criteria for schizophrenia and were experiencing distressing auditory hallucinations were recruited.There were significant gains over the treatment period when compared to the waiting control period in symptoms and insight into psychosis, and a strong trend in the auditory hallucinations scores which were maintained at follow-up. There was also an increase in the range and effectiveness of Coping strategies. The gains were similar to those reported in randomised control trials of individual cognitive-behaviour Therapy. This type of treatment may prove to be a cost-effective adjunct to pharmacotherapy in the reduction of persistent psychotic symptoms and their associated distress.

AB - Individual cognitive treatments for psychotic symptoms are expensive. and it may be more cost effective to provide them us a group format. The current study evaluated a group therapy foe voices’ which incorporated both nominalisation principles and coping strategy enhancement. It was provided over 6 weeks in 1-hour sessions, with a follow-up session 1 month later. The evaluation was a waiting-list control design. The main outcome measures were levels of symptoms, insight, and auditory hallucinations. Ancillary outcome measures included coping strategies and distress associated with the 'voices'. Assessments were carried out at baseline, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up. Twenty-one patients who fulfilled DSMIV criteria for schizophrenia and were experiencing distressing auditory hallucinations were recruited.There were significant gains over the treatment period when compared to the waiting control period in symptoms and insight into psychosis, and a strong trend in the auditory hallucinations scores which were maintained at follow-up. There was also an increase in the range and effectiveness of Coping strategies. The gains were similar to those reported in randomised control trials of individual cognitive-behaviour Therapy. This type of treatment may prove to be a cost-effective adjunct to pharmacotherapy in the reduction of persistent psychotic symptoms and their associated distress.

U2 - 10.1016/S0920-9964(99)90041-5

DO - 10.1016/S0920-9964(99)90041-5

M3 - Meeting abstract

SN - 0920-9964

VL - 36

SP - 335

EP - 335

JO - Schizophrenia Research

JF - Schizophrenia Research

IS - 1-3

ER -