Effectiveness of Non-face-to-face Behavioral Activation Treatment for Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia population (Preprint)

Abstract

Behavioral activation (BA) improved negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of non-face-to-face BA treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

This study was double-blinded, and placebo-controlled. A total of 98 patients with schizophrenia participated until the end of the study. (49 to BA treatment and 49 to treatment as usual TAU). The non-face-to-face BA treatment program was conducted once a week, 40 minutes per session. TAU included pharmacotherapy, case management and supportive psychotherapy. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS), and the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) was measured.

PANSS negative decreased in the BA treatment group (22.695.13 vs. 18.905.38, P=.003), whereas it did not change in the TAU group (20.824.61 vs. 19.906.00). There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of improvement from pre- to post-treatment in PANSS negative (P<.001), the CAINS total score (P<.001), and the CAINS motivation/pleasure (P<.001) in the BA treatment group compared to TAU group.

Non-face-to-face BA treatment is a more effective psychological treatment than TAU for negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Additionally, BA treatment might increase motivation/pleasure and behavioral activation.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID ‘NCT05764148’