Combined Motivational Interviewing, CBT Found to Increase Motivation in People With Schizophrenia

People with schizophrenia are known to experience motivational deficits (for example, defeatist beliefs and social withdrawal) that can hinder their ability to engage in social and occupational activities. Astudy published yesterday inThe American Journal of Psychiatry found that patients who participated in weekly group therapy sessions that combined motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for three months experienced greater improvements in motivation and pleasure than those who did not receive the combined therapy.“While there have been advances in pharmacological interventions for positive symptoms, they have had a minimal impact on daily functional outcomes for those living with the illness,” wrote L. Felice Reddy, Ph.D., of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VISN 22 Mental Illness Research, Educat ion, and Clinical Center in Los Angeles. “Our results are encouraging for psychosocial interventions aiming to improve quality of life for people with schizophrenia and indicate specific directions for future clinical research.”For the study, Reddy and colleagues recruited adults with schizophrenia from outpatient clinics at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. To be included, patients had to be clinically stable (for example, no inpatient hospitalizations during the three months prior to enrollment) and have moderate to severe levels of motivational negative symptoms (defined as a score of 15 or greater out of 36 on the motivatio...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: American Journal of Psychiatry cognitive-behavioral therapy function group therapy mindfulness motivation motivational interviewing negative symptoms schizophrenia Source Type: research