Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing Psychotherapy (Essay Sample)

Compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing psychotherapy of the treatment for schizophrenia
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that involves recurrent or chronic psychosis. The disorder often causes impairments in body and social functioning. It is one of the most economically disastrous and disabling health disorders considered as one of the top ten ailments that lead to financial and social burden in the world. Antipsychotic medication is normally the first type of treatment for schizophrenia. Clinical trials have shown that Antipsychotic medications are efficient in minimizing behaviors and symptoms related to the disorder. Nevertheless, people with schizophrenia commonly suffer from disabling impairments even after taking and receiving benefits from antipsychotics. These difficulties also are known for the experience of acute symptomatic relapse, cognitive deficits, negative and positive symptoms, and poor social functioning. Cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing technique are known psychosocial interventions, which are nowadays used to treat these deficit areas. The aim of this paper is to compare the effectiveness of motivational interviewing psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy of the treatment for schizophrenia.
Introduction
Schizophrenia is known as a complex disorder. Its definition is elusive and, therefore, defies scientific explanation. Researchers have not been successful to identify a single factor which characterizes all patients suffering from schizophrenia. Regardless of the challenges, researchers continue to research facts about schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is considered as one of the main distressing mental sicknesses; this is what compels researchers to continue research for its causes. People affected by schizophrenia normally interpret reality abnormally. The disorder may lead to a combination of hallucinations, delusions and severe disordered behaviors and thinking. As opposed to popular belief, schizophrenia is not a “multiple personality” or a “split personality”. The word “schizophrenia” does not imply “split mind”, but implies a disruption of the normal balance of thinking and emotions. Schizophrenia is a severe condition, which requires long-term treatment.
Etiology, prognosis, course, DSM-5 and symptoms of Schizophrenia
The causes of schizophrenia are not known, though researchers think that the disorder is caused by a combination of environmental and genetics factors (Barrowclough, Haddock, Tarrier, Lewis, Moring, O’Brien, Schofield and McGovern, 2001). Some naturally occurring brain chemicals and also neurotransmitters known as glutamate and dopamine are factors that are believed to cause schizophrenia. Some neuroimaging studies indicate that differences in the central nervous system and brain structures may be the cause of schizophrenia. Although, researchers are not certain about the relevance of such changes, they support the fact that schizophrenia as a brain ailment.
The prognosis of schizophrenia varies at individual level. This leads to financial and human costs. It results into reduced life-expectancy of 10-15 years because of its association with smoking, little exercise, and obesity whereas it also leads to increased cases of suicides. People who suffer from the disorder are twice more likely to die than individuals without the disorder. About half of patients with schizophrenia are suffering from substance-use disorder (like marijuana, alcohol, and other substances) during their lifetime. Besides that, a broad variation normally happens in the course of schizophrenia. In certain situations, the occurrence of the ailment is gradual, developing in the course of months or years. But in some cases, the sickness occurs abruptly within hours or days. While some people may have severe symptoms lasting for months or weeks, others may have mild symptoms occurring for years.
Schizophrenia symptoms in men normally begin during early to mid-20s while symptoms in women usually start during late 20s. It is uncommon for schizophrenia to affect children, and people who are older than 45. Symptoms vary, but they lead to impaired disabilities to the functioning of human body and social interaction. Schizophrenia symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and extremely disorganized behavior. The new DMS-5 has made certain changes to the diagnosis of schizophrenia. These major changes have been made to define the diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia in a better way. At least two criterions A symptoms are needed for any diagnosis of schizophrenia in DMS-5. For an individual to be considered suffering from schizophrenia, he or she has to exhibit at two of the symptoms such as disorganized speech, delusions, and hallucinations.
Cognitive behavioral therapy intervention treatment for schizophrenia
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an important psychosocial intervention for treating schizophrenia. Dudley, Dixon and Turkington (2005) opine that CBT techniques are useful for treating symptoms of anxiety and mood that affect people with schizophrenia. People who suffer from schizophrenia are known to be resistant to receive medication and treatment. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia may lead to impairments of body functions. CBT is a vital intervention that can be used to ensure that patients obtain treat and medication effectively and enable them enhance relationship with other people, friends, and their families and improve their success at work. People who suffer from schizophrenia normally experience problems due to past traumas, anxiety disorder and comorbid mood disorders. These symptoms can be treated using CBT, which help to reduce negative symptoms much faster during the first 12-week period after hospital admission.
CBT in schizophrenia is an intervention that offers an additional treatment to address residual symptoms. Medication compliance is still a big challenge because many patients with schizophrenia usually discontinue their medication both in inpatient and outpatient settings (Lecomte, Leclerc, Wykes and Lecomte, 2003). Effectiveness of CBT in treating people with continual symptoms of schizophrenia has greatly improved, and consequently has helped patients, who are suffering, from both chronic and acute symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum. Nowadays, clinical guidelines recognize CBT as an efficient intervention for schizophrenia across the world. CBT for this disorder aims to develop a mutual therapeutic relationship, establish a shared understanding of what causes the problem, creating goals, and providing education to the patients concerning strategies or techniques to manage or minimize their symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy is normally carried out based on individual sessions and usually time-limited (run for several months). The aim is not to cure schizophrenia, but is focused to enhance the individuals’ capability to manage their disorder, function independently and to minimize the stress and difficulties they experience in their everyday living.
Particular CBT techniques used to treat schizophrenia are such as coping skills training, reality testing, behavioral experiments, self-monitoring training, and cognitive restructuring (Dudley, Dixon and Turkington, 2005). CBT aims to address psychotic symptoms such as delusional beliefs, hallucinations, and others and also is very important for solving anxiety and depression that are related to the psychotic symptoms and their effects on an individual’s life.
The CBT technique assists to establish links between actions, feelings, and thoughts of a patient in an accepting and collaborative setting. Goals are set and developed, but are flexibly applied. Sensky, Turkington, Kingdon, Scott, Siddle, O’Carroll, Scott and Barnes (2000) say that the duration of providing therapy varies based on the individuals’ needs; though normally extend between 12 and 20 sessions. The technique enables the patient to understand how to cope with confusing experiences caused by delusions. This technique thoroughly and gradually moves the patient through several steps through making use of Socratic questioning to understand and clarify the links between the emotional distress that the patients experience and the beliefs they hold. This involves the following steps. First, the therapist uses a scale of 0 to 10 to measure patient’s intensity of stress. Secondly, the consequences are assessed and categorized into behavioral and emotional effects. Thirdly, the therapist gives the patient the opportunity to explain what activates behavioral and emotional symptoms. The therapist makes certain that the information that the patient gives are facts and should not be distorted by interpretations and judgments. Fourth, the therapist offers feedback concerning connection between events and symptoms to the patient. The therapist then assists the patient to improve his beliefs, self-image, and self-awareness. Moreover, the therapist works and collaborates with the patient to address negative symptoms like depression, anxiety, and others.
Motivational interviewing psychotherapy treatment for schizophrenia
Motivational interviewing refers to a treatment technique, which builds what therapeutic alliance has put into place, and develops it further as a way of bringing positive change (Rüsch and Corrigan, 2002). It is a directive therapeutic style and patient-centered technique, which enhances the potential to address ambivalence and transform behaviors. Its goal is to enhance patient’s motivation to achieve desired change. Motivational interviewing has been utilized to improve coping skills, develop insight and assist to create change in behavi...