Background. While there is a growing body of evidence on the efficacy of psychological
interventions for schizophrenia, this meta-analysis improves upon previous systematic and metaanalytical
reviews by including a wider range of randomized controlled trials and providing
comparisons against both standard care and other active interventions.
Method. Literature searches identi®ed randomized controlled trials of four types of psychological
interventions: family intervention, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), social skills training and
cognitive remediation. These were then subjected to meta-analysis on a variety of outcome
measures. This paper presents results relating to the ®rst two.
Results. Family therapy, in particular single family therapy, had clear preventative effects on the
outcomes of psychotic relapse and readmission, in addition to bene®ts in medication compliance.
CBT produced higher rates of `important improvement' in mental state and demonstrated positive
effects on continuous measures of mental state at follow-up. CBT also seems to be associated
with low drop-out rates.
Conclusions. Family intervention should be offered to people with schizophrenia who are in contact
with carers. CBT may be useful for those with treatment resistant symptoms. Both treatments, in
particular CBT, should be further investigated in large trials across a variety of patients, in various
settings. The factors mediating treatment success in these interventions should be researched.