Dr David Kingdon on the Factors Predicting CBT Success in Psychosis

David Kingdon, MD, professor of mental health care delivery, University of Southampton, discussed the settings and circumstances that make it more likely that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) will have a positive impact on patients with psychosis.

Transcript

What are the factors that predict success in using CBT with a particular patient with psychosis?

I think when people are starting to use these techniques, it does seem that that little chink of insight is helpful if they’re not absolutely convinced, or distressing voices, they seem to work with. But in my experience and in others’ experience, I’ve worked in a psychiatric intensive care unit and on an acute admission ward, and in those circumstances people want to talk about their symptoms—they want to talk about it, they want to get out of hospital. In fact, they will engage then in a process of trying to explain what they believe, and that’s a time when you can really work very, very effectively with them.