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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Nov;38(6):1180-8.
doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbs105. Epub 2012 Sep 1.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for subjects at ultrahigh risk for developing psychosis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Mark van der Gaag  1 , Dorien H Nieman, Judith Rietdijk, Sara Dragt, Helga K Ising, Rianne M C Klaassen, Maarten Koeter, Pim Cuijpers, Lex Wunderink, Don H Linszen
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Cognitive behavioral therapy for subjects at ultrahigh risk for developing psychosis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Mark van der Gaag et al. Schizophr Bull. 2012 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Evidence for the effectiveness of treatments for subjects at ultrahigh risk (UHR) for developing psychosis remains inconclusive.

Objective: A new cognitive behavioral intervention specifically targeted at cognitive biases (ie, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [CBT] for UHR patients plus treatment as usual [TAU] called CBTuhr) is compared with TAU in a group of young help-seeking UHR subjects.

Methods: A total of 201 patients were recruited at 4 sites and randomized. In most cases, CBTuhr was an add-on therapy because most people were seeking help for a comorbid disorder. The CBT was provided for 6 months, and the follow-up period was 18 months.

Results: In the CBTuhr condition, 10 patients transitioned to psychosis compared with 22 in the TAU condition (χ(2) (1) = 5.575, P = .03). The number needed to treat (NNT) was 9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.7-89.9). At 18-month follow-up the CBTuhr group was significantly more often remitted from an at-risk mental state, with a NNT of 7 (95% CI: 3.7-71.2). Intention-to-treat analysis, including 5 violations against exclusion criteria, showed a statistical tendency (χ(2) (1) = 3.338, P = .06).

Conclusions: Compared with TAU, this new CBT (focusing on normalization and awareness of cognitive biases) showed a favorable effect on the transition to psychosis and reduction of subclinical psychotic symptoms in subjects at UHR to develop psychosis.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flowchart of the study participants.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Survival of patients in the experimental condition (CBT for ultrahigh risk patients [CBTuhr]) and control condition (treatment as usual [TAU]) during 18-month follow-up. Solid line, CBTuhr group; dotted line, TAU group. Log rank test χ2 (1) = 5.575, P = .03.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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