ROLE OF BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Pragmatic approach: For patients with schizophrenia, improvement does not simply mean freedom from delirium, but also implies the acquisitio n of the personal and relational skills needed for durable stabilizati on. Consequently, behavioral and cognitive therapies have progressivel y gained a specific role in the treatment of schizophrenia. Basic prin ciples: Behavior and cognitive techniques proposed for rehabilitating patients with schizophrenia are based on acquisition of social skills which the patients can use to manage their treatment and their daily f amilial and interpersonal relationships. Family therapy: The aim of fa mily therapy is to improve the emotion expressed within a family by im proving the family's capacity for intercommunnication, coherence and a daptation to the patient's situation. This individual and familiar app roach to behavior can provide substantial prolonged benefit for the sc hizophrenic patient A precious contribution to therapeutics: The organ ization of behavioral and cognitive therapy requires long-term adhesio n from patients, health cares and family. In combination with adapted drug therapy and with individually designed objectives, behavioral and cognitive therapies can widen the therapeutic spectrum proposed in th is chronic and difficult to manage disease.