Schizophrenia: Behavior therapy's forgotten child

Abstract

Schizophrenia has ceased to be a major area of interest for behavior therapists in the last few years. Four possible reasons for this shift in interest are identified, and the validity of each is refuted: (a) the belief that the diagnosis is an overgeneralized label and the disorder does not exist, (b) the belief that the disorder has a biological basis and, thus, is not in the purview of behavior therapy, (c) the belief that schizophrenia is adequately treated by medication, making behavior therapy superfluous, and (d) the belief that it is too severe for behavior therapy. In contrast, it is argued that behavior therapy has already developed some of the most effective treatment procedures for schizophrenia and has the potential to make several other important contributions as well, including: (a) enhancing and/or supplementing pharmacotherapy, (b) behavioral family therapy, social skills training, (c) teaching skills of daily living, and (d) development of new programs to deal with the effects of deinstitutionalization and the “After Care Client”. It is concluded that behavior therapy has the potential to make a number of vital contributions and that there is a social and professional mandate for behavior therapists to increase their involvement with this needy population.