The revised Green et al., Paranoid Thoughts Scale (R-GPTS): psychometric properties, severity ranges, and clinical cut-offs.

BACKGROUND: The Green et al., Paranoid Thoughts Scale (GPTS) - comprising two 16-item scales assessing ideas of reference (Part A) and ideas of persecution (Part B) - was developed over a decade ago. Our aim was to conduct the first large-scale psychometric evaluation. METHODS: In total, 10 551 individuals provided GPTS data. Four hundred and twenty-two patients with psychosis and 805 non-clinical individuals completed GPTS Parts A and B. An additional 1743 patients with psychosis and 7581 non-clinical individuals completed GPTS Part B. Factor analysis, item response theory, and receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The original two-factor structure of the GPTS had an inadequate model fit: Part A did not form a unidimensional scale and multiple items were locally dependant. A Revised-GPTS (R-GPTS) was formed, comprising eight-item ideas of reference and 10-item ideas of persecution subscales, which had an excellent model fit. All items in the new Reference (a = 2.09-3.67) and Persecution (a = 2.37-4.38) scales were strongly discriminative of shifts in paranoia and had high reliability across the spectrum of severity (a > 0.90). The R-GPTS score ranges are: average (Reference: 0-9; Persecution: 0-4); elevated (Reference: 10-15; Persecution: 5-10); moderately severe (Reference: 16-20; Persecution:11-17); severe (Reference: 21-24; Persecution: 18-27); and very severe (Reference: 25+; Persecution: 28+). Recommended cut-offs on the persecution scale are 11 to discriminate clinical levels of persecutory ideation and 18 for a likely persecutory delusion. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric evaluation indicated a need to improve the GPTS. The R-GPTS is a more precise measure, has excellent psychometric properties, and is recommended for future studies of paranoia.

Cultural Adaptations in Clinical InteractiONs (CoACtION): a multi-site comparative study to assess what cultural adaptations are made by clinicians in different settings.

Culture influences models of mental illness, help-seeking behaviours and outcomes of interventions. Cultural competency training has been developed to improve clinician practice in addressing these issues. The study aims to identify to what extent culturally competent and informed interactions are used by clinicians in England and how patients experience these interaction. Clinicians and non-white western patients were recruited to complete a questionnaire on culturally adapted practice in 25 areas of England. Clinicians are much more likely to rate their practice as clinically competent whereas patients were more likely to disagree that services were completely culturally competent. Length of time working as clinicians, receipt of specific cultural competence training and a higher percentage of caseload from non-white western backgrounds all increased clinician's perception that their practice was culturally competent. Clinicians recognised the importance of cultural competency but the disparity between their assessment of whether they achieved this and that of patients must be addressed. Ethics approval was obtained via proportionate review from the London - Central Research Ethics Committee (REC Ref no: 17/LO/1962). Study registration: UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio: 36744.

Refractory depression - mechanisms and efficacy of radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RefraMED): findings of a randomised trial on benefits and harms.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with depression often do not respond to medication or psychotherapy. Radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RO DBT) is a new treatment targeting overcontrolled personality, common in refractory depression. AIMS: To compare RO DBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) for refractory depression with TAU alone (trial registration: ISRCTN 85784627). METHOD: RO DBT comprised 29 therapy sessions and 27 skills classes over 6 months. Our completed randomised trial evaluated RO DBT for refractory depression over 18 months in three British secondary care centres. Of 250 adult participants, we randomised 162 (65%) to RO DBT. The primary outcome was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), assessed masked and analysed by treatment allocated. RESULTS: After 7 months, immediately following therapy, RO DBT had significantly reduced depressive symptoms by 5.40 points on the HRSD relative to TAU (95% CI 0.94-9.85). After 12 months (primary end-point), the difference of 2.15 points on the HRSD in favour of RO DBT was not significant (95% CI -2.28 to 6.59); nor was that of 1.69 points on the HRSD at 18 months (95% CI -2.84 to 6.22). Throughout RO DBT participants reported significantly better psychological flexibility and emotional coping than controls. However, they reported eight possible serious adverse reactions compared with none in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The RO DBT group reported significantly lower HRSD scores than the control group after 7 months, but not thereafter. The imbalance in serious adverse reactions was probably because of the controls' limited opportunities to report these.

The Dunn Worry Questionnaire and the Paranoia Worries Questionnaire: new assessments of worry.

BACKGROUND: The cognitive process of worry, which keeps negative thoughts in mind and elaborates the content, contributes to the occurrence of many mental health disorders. Our principal aim was to develop a straightforward measure of general problematic worry suitable for research and clinical treatment. Our secondary aim was to develop a measure of problematic worry specifically concerning paranoid fears. METHODS: An item pool concerning worry in the past month was evaluated in 250 non-clinical individuals and 50 patients with psychosis in a worry treatment trial. Exploratory factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) informed the selection of scale items. IRT analyses were repeated with the scales administered to 273 non-clinical individuals, 79 patients with psychosis and 93 patients with social anxiety disorder. Other clinical measures were administered to assess concurrent validity. Test-retest reliability was assessed with 75 participants. Sensitivity to change was assessed with 43 patients with psychosis. RESULTS: A 10-item general worry scale (Dunn Worry Questionnaire; DWQ) and a five-item paranoia worry scale (Paranoia Worries Questionnaire; PWQ) were developed. All items were highly discriminative (DWQ a = 1.98-5.03; PWQ a = 4.10-10.7), indicating small increases in latent worry lead to a high probability of item endorsement. The DWQ was highly informative across a wide range of the worry distribution, whilst the PWQ had greatest precision at clinical levels of paranoia worry. The scales demonstrated excellent internal reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity and sensitivity to change. CONCLUSIONS: The new measures of general problematic worry and worry about paranoid fears have excellent psychometric properties.

Health and Social Care Diversity Among Individuals with Longstanding Physical and Psychological Health Problems: Pooled Repeated Cross Sectional Analyses.

This paper examines differences in health-and-social care utilisation for individuals with physical and/or mental health problems. Logistic regression models are used to determine disparity in the percentage of General Household/Lifestyle Survey participants with physical compared to mental health problems receiving disability benefits or health care services between 2000 and 2011. Our findings of a relative underutilisation of secondary health care combined with a relative overutilization of out-of-work benefits by individuals with mental health problems is novel to the field of rehabilitative health care. These results provide evidence for the previously suspected disparity in health care utilisation of individuals with mental health problems and indicate problems in labour force integration. The findings support the political call for a 'parity of esteem', which, in Britain, was enshrined in the Health and Social Care Act of 2012.

Brief cognitive-behavioural therapy for patients in the community with schizophrenia: randomised controlled trial in Beijing, China.

BackgroundBrief cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an emerging treatment for schizophrenia in community settings; however, further trials are needed, especially in non-Western countries.AimsTo test the effects of brief CBT for Chinese patients with schizophrenia in the community (trial registration: ChiCTR-TRC-13003709).MethodA total of 220 patients with schizophrenia from four districts of Beijing were randomly assigned to either brief CBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Patients were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups by raters masked to group allocation.ResultsAt the post-treatment assessment and the 12-month follow-up, patients who received brief CBT showed greater improvement in overall symptoms, general psychopathology, insight and social functioning. In total, 37.3% of those in the brief CBT plus TAU group experienced a clinically significant response, compared with only 19.1% of those in the TAU alone group (P = 0.003).ConclusionsBrief CBT has a positive effect on Chinese patients with schizophrenia in the community.

A qualitative study to explore views of patients', carers' and mental health professionals' to inform cultural adaptation of CBT for psychosis (CBTp) in China.

BACKGROUND: The evidence for effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is robust and the national organizations in the United Kingdom and the United States recommend its use. It is not utilized to its full potential in low and middle-income countries. Adaptation of CBT treatment to the target culture may facilitate its uptake. This study explored views of patients with schizophrenia, their caregivers, and mental health professionals for the purpose of cultural adaptation of CBT. METHOD: The project was conducted in a teaching hospital in China. Systematic content and question analysis were the techniques we used to analyse the data generated in a series of qualitative interviews (N 45) in China. After identification of emerging themes and categories we compared and contrasted the themes across different interviews recursively. Triangulation of themes and concepts was undertaken to compare further and contrast the data from the different participating groups. RESULTS: This work highlighted the barriers in therapy as well as opportunities for use of CBT in that environment. Patients and their carers in China use a bio-psycho-spiritual-social model of illness. CBT is not commonly used to help those with schizophrenia in China. CONCLUSIONS: This study will facilitate the therapists using CBT for people with psychosis in China. These results require to be tested in clinical trials.

Current and potential pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for anxiety symptoms and disorders in patients with schizophrenia: structured review.

OBJECTIVE: Between 30% and 62% of patients with schizophrenia present with co-morbid anxiety disorders that are associated with increased overall burden. Our aim was to summarize current and potential interventions for anxiety in schizophrenia. DESIGN: Structured review, summarizing pharmacological and psychosocial interventions used to reduce anxiety in schizophrenia and psychosis. RESULTS: Antipsychotics have been shown to reduce anxiety, increase anxiety, or have no effect. These may be augmented with another antipsychotic, anxiolytic, or antidepressant. Novel agents, such as L-theanine, pregabalin, and cycloserine, show promise in attenuating anxiety in schizophrenia. Psychosocial therapies have been developed to reduce the distress of schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has shown that benefit and refinements in the therapy have been successful, for example, for managing worry in schizophrenia. CBT usually involves more than 16 sessions, as short courses of CBT do not attenuate the presentation of anxiety in schizophrenia. To address time and cost, the development of manualized CBT to address anxiety in schizophrenia is being developed. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of coexisting anxiety symptoms and co-morbid anxiety disorders should be ascertained when assessing patients with schizophrenia or other psychoses as a range of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments are available.

Training to enhance psychiatrist communication with patients with psychosis (TEMPO): cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A better therapeutic relationship predicts better outcomes. However, there is no trial-based evidence on how to improve therapeutic relationships in psychosis. AIMS: To test the effectiveness of communication training for psychiatrists on improving shared understanding and the therapeutic relationship (trial registration: ISRCTN94846422). METHOD: In a cluster randomised controlled trial in the UK, 21 psychiatrists were randomised. Ninety-seven (51% of those approached) out-patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder were recruited, and 64 (66% of the sample recruited at baseline) were followed up after 5 months. The intervention group received four group and one individualised session. The primary outcome, rated blind, was psychiatrist effort in establishing shared understanding (self-repair). Secondary outcome was the therapeutic relationship. RESULTS: Psychiatrists receiving the intervention used 44% more self-repair than the control group (adjusted difference in means 6.4, 95% CI 1.46-11.33, P<0.011, a large effect) adjusting for baseline self-repair. Psychiatrists rated the therapeutic relationship more positively (adjusted difference in means 0.20, 95% CI 0.03-0.37, P = 0.022, a medium effect), as did patients (adjusted difference in means 0.21, 95% CI 0.01-0.41, P = 0.043, a medium effect). CONCLUSIONS: Shared understanding can be successfully targeted in training and improves relationships in treating psychosis.

Design and protocol for the Focusing on Clozapine Unresponsive Symptoms (FOCUS) trial: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: For around a third of people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, the condition proves to respond poorly to treatment with many typical and atypical antipsychotics. This is commonly referred to as treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Clozapine is the only antipsychotic with convincing efficacy for people whose symptoms are considered treatment-resistant to antipsychotic medication. However, 30-40 % of such conditions will have an insufficient response to the drug. Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for schizophrenia when delivered in combination with antipsychotic medication, with several meta-analyses showing robust support for this approach. However, the evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for people with a schizophrenia diagnosis whose symptoms are treatment-resistant to antipsychotic medication is limited. There is a clinical and economic need to evaluate treatments to improve outcomes for people with such conditions. METHODS/DESIGN: A parallel group, prospective randomised, open, blinded evaluation of outcomes design will be used to compare a standardised cognitive behavioural therapy intervention added to treatment as usual versus treatment as usual alone (the comparator group) for individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia for whom an adequate trial of clozapine has either not been possible due to tolerability problems or was not associated with a sufficient therapeutic response. The trial will be conducted across five sites in the United Kingdom. DISCUSSION: The recruitment target of 485 was achieved, with a final recruitment total of 487. This trial is the largest definitive, pragmatic clinical and cost-effectiveness trial of cognitive behavioural therapy for people with schizophrenia whose symptoms have failed to show an adequate response to clozapine treatment. Using a prognostic risk model, baseline information will be used to explore whether there are identifiable subgroups for which the treatment effect is greatest. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN99672552 . Registered 29(th) November 2012.

Can cognitive behaviour therapy beneficially influence arousal mechanisms in psychosis?

Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is an approved adjunct therapy for patients with psychotic disorders; however, we do not fully understand the neurobiological effects that this therapy may exert. Arousal, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), provides a useful electrophysiological marker for assessing psychotic disorders. EEG studies may therefore serve as a useful measure for assessing the underlying effects of CBTp in psychotic disorders.

Successful Resuscitation: Novel Partnership between Paramedics and U.S. Coast Guard.

In this article, we present a notable case that illustrates a novel partnership between a United States Coast Guard small boat station and a civilian paramedic response unit. Patients who experience medical emergencies in remote environments are at particularly high risk for morbidity and mortality. For the most serious conditions, delayed contact with Advanced Life Support (ALS) has grave results. Typically, these circumstances involve small groups of individuals and cannot be easily predicted. The waters off the coasts of Maui, Hawaii, however, host millions of residents and visitors annually, with activities including swimming, snorkeling, diving, parasailing, and other types of ocean recreation. As a result, medical and rescue emergencies are not uncommon, many with poor outcomes. Prior to October of 2013, a Coast Guard response boat crew with limited medical training and equipment responded to most off shore cases. Since October 2013, a paramedic from Maui County EMS co-responds aboard the Coast Guard boat with a full complement of ALS equipment. This partnership has resulted in some significant improvements in patient outcome, and strengthened a collaborative emergency services system. The experience has also indicated the need for continued improvement in early activation and communication, as well as reinforcing the importance of primary prevention.

Worry processes in patients with persecutory delusions.

OBJECTIVES: Worry may be common in patients with paranoia and a contributory causal factor in the occurrence of the delusions. A number of psychological mechanisms have been linked to the occurrence of worry in emotional disorders but these are yet to be investigated in psychosis. The primary aim of the study was to test the links between five main worry mechanisms - perseverative thinking, catastrophizing, stop rules, metacognitive beliefs, and intolerance of uncertainty - and the cognitive style of worry in patients with persecutory delusions. METHOD: One hundred and fifty patients with persecutory delusions completed assessments of paranoia, worry, and worry mechanisms. RESULTS: Worry in patients with psychosis was associated with the following: a perseverative thinking style, an 'as many as can' stop rule, a range of metacognitive beliefs (cognitive confidence, worry as uncontrollable and the need to control thoughts), and intolerance of uncertainty. Higher levels of worry were associated with higher levels of paranoia. There was also evidence that intolerance of uncertainty and the metacognitive belief concerning the need to control thoughts were independently associated with paranoia. CONCLUSIONS: Worry in patients with persecutory delusions may well be understood by similar underlying mechanisms as worry in emotional disorders. This supports the use of interventions targeting worry, suitably modified, for patients with psychosis. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Worry is a significant concern for patients with paranoia Worry in paranoia is likely to be caused by similar mechanisms as worry in emotional disorders The results support the recent trial findings that standard techniques for treating worry in anxiety, suitably modified, are applicable for patients with paranoia LIMITATIONS: The findings are limited by the self-report nature of measures and by the study design which precludes any assumptions about the direction of causality between the psychological mechanisms and worry.

The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire in Patients with Persecutory Delusions.

BACKGROUND: Ruminative negative thinking has typically been considered as a factor maintaining common emotional disorders and has recently been shown to maintain persecutory delusions in psychosis. The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) (Ehring et al., 2011) is a transdiagnostic measure of ruminative negative thinking that shows promise as a "content-free" measure of ruminative negative thinking. AIMS: The PTQ has not previously been studied in a psychosis patient group. In this study we report for the first time on the psychometric properties of Ehring et al.'s PTQ in such a group. METHOD: The PTQ was completed by 142 patients with current persecutory delusions and 273 non-clinical participants. Participants also completed measures of worry and paranoia. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the clinical group's PTQ responses to assess the factor structure of the measure. Differences between groups were used to assess criterion reliability. RESULTS: A three lower-order factor structure of the PTQ (core characteristics of ruminative negative thinking, perceived unproductiveness, and capturing mental capacity) was replicated in the clinical sample. Patients with persecutory delusions were shown to experience significantly higher levels of ruminative negative thinking on the PTQ than the general population sample. The PTQ demonstrated high internal reliability. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not include test-retest data, and did not compare the PTQ against a measure of depressive rumination but, nevertheless, lends support for the validity of the PTQ as a measure of negative ruminative thinking in patients with psychosis.

A Qualitative Study to Explore Patients', Carers' and Health Professionals' Views to Culturally Adapt CBT for Psychosis (CBTp) in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has an established evidence base and is recommended by the national organizations in United Kingdom and the United States. CBT remains under utilized in low and middle income countries. CBT was developed in the west and it has been suggested that it is underpinned by western values. It therefore follows that to make CBT accessible for non western clients, it needs adapting into a given culture. AIMS: Our aim was to develop guidelines for adapting CBT for psychosis in Pakistan by incorporating the views of the patients, their carers and mental health professionals. METHOD: We conducted a series of qualitative studies in Pakistan to adapt CBT for psychosis (a total of 92 interviews). The data were analyzed by systematic content and question analysis. Analysis started by identifying emerging themes and categories. Themes emerging from the analyses of interviews by each interviewer were compared and contrasted with others interviewers constantly. Triangulation of themes and concepts was undertaken to further compare and contrast the data from the different participating groups. RESULTS: The results of these studies highlighted the barriers in therapy as well as strengths while working with this patient group. Patients and their carers in Pakistan use a bio-psycho-spiritual-social model of illness. They seek help from various sources. Therapists make minor adjustments in therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study will help therapists working with this client group using CBT for psychosis in Pakistan. These results need to be tested through controlled trials.

The Effectiveness of a Patient-Centred Assessment with a Solution-Focused Approach (DIALOG+) for Patients with Psychosis: A Pragmatic Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial in Community Care.

BACKGROUND: DIALOG+ was developed as a computer-mediated intervention, consisting of a structured assessment of patients' concerns combined with a solution-focused approach to initiate change. This study tested the effectiveness of DIALOG+ in the community treatment of patients with psychosis. METHOD: This was a pragmatic, exploratory, parallel-group, cluster-randomised controlled trial. Clinicians within community teams - along with patients with psychosis under their care - were randomised to use DIALOG+ once per month for 6 months or an active control. The primary outcome (subjective quality of life, SQOL) and secondary outcomes were assessed after 3, 6 and 12 months by blinded assessors and analysed using mixed-effect models. RESULTS: A total of 49 clinicians and 179 patients were randomised. Implementation of DIALOG+ was variable, with an average of 1.8 sessions (SD = 1.6) in the first 3 months and 1.1 (SD = 1.2) in the following 3 months. Patients in the DIALOG+ arm had better SQOL at 3, 6 and 12 months (p = 0.035, 0.058 and 0.014, respectively; Cohen's d = 0.29-0.34). They also had significantly fewer unmet needs at 3 and 6 months, fewer general psychopathological symptoms at all time points and better objective social outcomes at 12 months, with no significant differences in other outcomes. Overall care costs were lower in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: Despite variable implementation, DIALOG+ is a beneficial intervention for community patients with psychosis. As a non-expensive and potentially cost-saving, generic intervention, DIALOG+ may be widely used and may improve the effectiveness of community treatment. Further trials should test DIALOG+ in different patient groups and contexts.

Rate and predictors of psychotic symptoms after Kashmir earthquake.

Psychotic symptoms are more common in general population than validated diagnosis of psychosis. There is evidence to suggest that these symptoms, hallucinations, paranoia, elated mood, thought insertion, are part of a spectrum of psychosis and may have association with the same risk factors that determine development of psychosis. These symptoms have an association with exposure to psychological trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of psychotic symptoms in the population affected by a natural disaster, earthquake in this case and possible correlates of these symptoms. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a population sample affected by the disaster, comprising of 1,291 individuals, 18 months after 2005 earthquake in Northern Pakistan and Kashmir to look at the prevalence of these symptoms and their correlates. Screening Instrument for Traumatic Stress in Earthquake Survivors and Self-Reporting Questionnaire and Psychosis Screening Questionnaire were used as tools. We examined association between the symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD and psychotic symptoms. We performed logistic regression analysis where hallucinations and delusions were dependent variables and demographic and trauma exposure variables were independent variables. The prevalence of psychotic symptoms ranged between 16.8 and 30.4 %. They were directly correlated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as well as concurrent symptoms of anxiety and depression. Lower level of education had a strong association in all the regression models. For hallucinations, living in a joint family had a negative association and participation in rescue, history of exposure to previous trauma and past psychiatric history had positive association. Paranoia was associated with female gender. Any psychiatric symptom was associated death of a family member, history of past psychiatric illness and living in a tent at the time of interview. Pattern of association of psychotic symptoms is consistent with prior literature and can be understood in the light of stress vulnerability model.

A randomised controlled trial of positive memory training for the treatment of depression within schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent within individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, and is associated with an increased risk of suicide. There are no current evidence based treatments for low mood within this group. The specific targeting of co-morbid conditions within complex mental health problems lends itself to the development of short-term structured interventions which are relatively easy to disseminate within health services. A brief cognitive intervention based on a competitive memory theory of depression, is being evaluated in terms of its effectiveness in reducing depression within this group. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a single blind, intention-to-treat, multi-site, randomized controlled trial comparing Positive Memory Training plus Treatment as Usual with Treatment as Usual alone. Participants will be recruited from two NHS Trusts in Southern England. In order to be eligible, participants must have a DSM-V diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and exhibit at least a mild level of depression. Following baseline assessment eligible participants will be randomly allocated to either the Positive Memory Training plus Treatment as Usual group or the Treatment as Usual group. Outcome will be assessed at the end of treatment (3-months) and at 6-month and 9-month post randomization by assessors blind to group allocation. The primary outcome will be levels of depression and secondary outcomes will be severity of psychotic symptoms and cost-effectiveness. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with all participants who are allocated to the treatment group so as to explore the acceptability of the intervention. DISCUSSION: Cognitive behaviour therapy is recommended for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, the number of sessions and length of training required to deliver this intervention has caused a limit in availability. The current trial will evaluate a short-term structured protocol which targets a co-morbid condition often considered of primary importance by service users. If successful the intervention will be an important addition to current initiatives aimed at increasing access to psychological therapies for people diagnosed with severe mental health problems. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials. ISRCTN99485756 . Registered 13 March 2014.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (brief versus standard duration) for schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioural therapy for people with schizophrenia is a psychotherapeutic approach that establishes links between thoughts, emotions and behaviours and challenges dysfunctional thoughts. There is some evidence to suggest that cognitive behavioural therapy for people with psychosis (CBTp) might be an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia. There are however, limitations in its provision due to available resource and training issues. One way to tackle this issue might be to offer a brief version of CBTp. OBJECTIVES: To review the effects of brief CBTp (6 to 10 regular sessions given in less than 4 months and using a manual) for people with schizophrenia compared with standard CBTp (12 to 20 regular sessions given in 4 to 6 months and using a manual). SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Trials Register (August 21, 2013 and August 26, 2015) which is based on regular searches of CINAHL, BIOSIS, AMED, EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and registries of Clinical Trials. There are no language, date, document type, or publication status limitations for inclusion of records in the register. We inspected all references of the selected articles for further relevant trials. We also contacted experts in the field regarding brief CBTp studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials involving adults with schizophrenia or related disorders, comparing brief cognitive behavioural therapy for people with psychosis versus standard CBTp. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently screened and assessed studies for inclusion using pre-specified inclusion criteria. MAIN RESULTS: We found only seven studies which used a brief version of CBTp, but no study compared brief CBTp with CBTp of standard duration. No studies could be included. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Currently there is no literature available to compare brief with standard CBTp for people with schizophrenia. We cannot, therefore, conclude whether brief CBTp is as effective, less effective or even more effective than standard courses of the same therapy. This lack of evidence for brief CBTp has serious implications for research and practice. Well planned, conducted and reported randomised trials are indicated.

Using cognitive behaviour therapy with South Asian Muslims: Findings from the culturally sensitive CBT project.

It has been suggested that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) needs adaptation for it to be effective for patients from collectivistic cultures, as currently CBT is underpinned by individualistic values. In prior studies we have demonstrated that CBT could be adapted for Pakistani patients in Southampton, UK, and for local populations in Pakistan. Findings from these studies suggest that CBT can be adapted for patients from collectivistic cultures using a series of steps. In this paper we focus on these steps, and the process of adapting CBT for specific groups. The adaptation process should focus on three major areas of therapy, rather than simple translation of therapy manuals. These include (1) awareness of relevant cultural issues and preparation for therapy, (2) assessment and engagement, and (3) adjustments in therapy. We also discuss the best practice guidelines that evolved from this work to help therapists working with this population. We reiterate that CBT can be adapted effectively for patients from traditional cultures. This is, however, an emerging area in psychotherapy, and further work is required to refine the methodology and to test adapted CBT.