Strengths and Limitations of using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as Treatment for Psychotic Disorders

Abstract or Introduction

This essay discusses the strengths and limitations of using cognitive behaviour therapy as a treatment of psychotic disorders.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2008) declared that psychotic disorders cost one hundred ninety three billion dollars annually due to loss of earning, diagnosis, treatment and other indirect costs. Cognitive behaviour therapies for psychotic disorders are an evidence informed management strategies that help patients and carers to make informed decisions for early intervention, prevention and recovery of psychotic disorder (NICE, 2009).

Numerous Meta analytical research suggested that cognitive behaviour therapy are effective in drug resistant symptoms and patient compliance to medication adherence (NICE, 2008; Wykes, Steel, Everitt &Tarrier, 2008). The systematic review of randomized trials revealed that cognitive behaviour therapy significantly reduced patients stay at the hospitals and prevent recurring hospitalization compared with other management therapies (NICE, 2009). However, the issue of whether cognitive behaviour therapy is as effective as claimed by the meta-analytical studies has been the subject for much debate. Research studies which employed proper control measures and methods of blinding reported that cognitive behaviour therapy is ineffective against relapse and reducing negative symptoms in patients suffering from schizophrenia (Scott et al., 2006; Lynch, Laws & McKenna, 2010).

Cognitive behaviour therapy is also indicated to be futile in befriending and interpersonal strategies (Sensky et al., 2000; Lewis et al., 2002). However, these arguments do not settle the issue in question. In fact, it is arguable that the strength of cognitive behaviour therapy for psychotic disorder lies in the evident based therapy that is derived from well validated theories, but the lack of validated research evidence limits the scope of therapy application and development of new therapy strategies for psychotic disorder.