Positive psychotherapy in a psychiatric rehabilitation day unit

Introduction: Positive psychotherapy for psychosis, based on the WELLFOCUS programme, focuses on personal strengths, well-being and positive experiences in people with psychotic disorders. The study aimed to assess the effects of adding this intervention to standard psychiatric rehabilitation in people diagnosed with schizophrenia.y. Materials and methods: The study included 80 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia: 40 in the clinical group and 40 in the control group. Both groups received standard psychiatric rehabilitation, while the clinical group additionally attended 13 weekly, two-hour sessions of positive psychotherapy for psychosis. Assessments were conducted before the intervention, immediately after its completion, and at a 3-month follow-up visit. Psychopathological symptoms, functioning, general self-efficacy, affective balance and character strengths were assessed. Results: Immediately after the intervention, the clinical group reported more frequent positive feelings and a more favourable affective balance than the control group, but these effects were not maintained at follow-up. Eight character strengths increased in the clinical group and improvements were maintained in six of them after 3 months. Functioning improved and psychopathological symptom severity decreased in both groups. No significant between-group differences were found in general self-efficacy or optimism. Discussion and conclusions: Adding positive psychotherapy for psychosis to standard psychiatric rehabilitation may support selected character strengths and short-term improvement in positive affect among people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Improvements in functioning and psychopathological symptoms were also observed during standard rehabilitation. The intervention may complement rehabilitation by focusing on personal resources. However, further studies are required to clarify the durability and specific effects of treatment.