Psychosocial interventions can help prevent schizophrenia relapse

(HealthDay)—Psychosocial and psychological interventions are effective for relapse prevention in schizophrenia, according to a review published online Oct. 12 in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Irene Bighelli, Ph.D., from the Technical University of Munich in Germany, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies evaluating the efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of psychosocial and psychological interventions for relapse prevention in schizophrenia.

Based on 72 included studies (10,364 participants), the researchers found that at one year, family interventions (odds ratio, 0.35), relapse prevention programs (odds ratio, 0.33), cognitive behavioral therapy (odds ratio, 0.45), family psychoeducation (odds ratio, 0.56), integrated interventions (odds ratio, 0.62), and patient psychoeducation (odds ratio, 0.63) reduced relapse more than treatment as usual.

"We found robust benefits in reducing the risk of relapse for family interventions, family psychoeducation, and cognitive behavioral therapy," the authors write. "These treatments should be the first psychosocial interventions to be considered in the long-term treatment for patients with schizophrenia."

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.