Designing New Psychosocial Treatments for Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a disease characterized by cognitive, psychophysiological, and interpersonal deficits that result in a marked vulnerability to stress (Dawson and Neuchterlein 1984; Nuechterlein 1977; Strauss et al. 1987). Episodes of illness occur in vulnerable individuals who experience stressful life events (G. W. Brown and Rutter 1966; Lukoff et al. 1984) or stressful interactions with family members (G. W. Brown et al. 1972; Imber Mintz et al. 1987; Leff and Vaughn 1985). Similarly, overstimulating therapeutic environments have been shown to exacerbate psychosis (Drake and Sederer 1986; Liberman 1982; Linn et al. 1980; Van Putten 1976). A full understanding of disease-specific deficits resulting from stress and vulnerability is necessary for developing psychosocial treatment programs that augment pharmacotherapies in significantly ameliorating the symptoms and disabilities of schizophrenia.