The dissemination of innovative cognitive-behavioural psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia

Abstract

There has been considerable research in recent years that has suggested that non-drug psychosocial interventions have considerable benefits to patients suffering from psychoses. These interventions include family interventions, individual cognitive-behaviour therapy and early signs monitoring. In spite of these research findings the dissemination of these interventions into routine practice has been slow and patchy. This paper briefly reviews these research studies and investigates reasons why dissemination of such evidence-based practice has not progressed. The absence of skills in the mental health workforce is one reason for the slow implementation of treatment innovations. The attempts to skill sections of the workforce are described and the relative success of the various training projects is described. The difficulties and limitations of these attempts are discussed.