Schizophrenia and Other Severe Mental Illnesses

Psychological Treatments:

• Social Skills Training (SST) (strong research support)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (strong research support)
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) (strong research support)
• Family Psychoeducation (strong research support)
• Supported Employment (strong research support)
• Social Learning / Token Economy Programs (strong research support)
• Cognitive Remediation (strong research support)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Psychosis (modest research support)
• Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) (modest research support)
• Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) (modest research support)

Note: Other psychological treatments may also be effective in treating Schizophrenia and related disorders, but they have not been evaluated with the same scientific rigor as the treatments above. Many medications are also helpful for Schizophrneia and related disorders, but we do not cover medications in this website. Of course, we recommend a consultation with a mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis and discussion of various treatment options. When you meet with a professional, be sure to work together to establish clear treatment goals and to monitor progress toward those goals. Feel free to print this information and take it with you to discuss your treatment plan with your therapist.