Psychosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Psychosis, including details on clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.

Efficacy of cognitive nursing intervention for voice hearing.

England M

University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. mary@artwindows.com

PROBLEM: Many individuals who hear negative voices are troubled by their voices even when they adhere to prescribed neuroleptic medication regimens. At the same time, recent clinical trials provide evidence that structured, cognitive intervention can reduce distress tied to refractory auditory hallucinations and other psychiatric symptoms. PURPOSE: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine whether usual care (UC), or usual care plus 12, 90-min episodes of cognitive nursing intervention (UC + CNI) led to sustained improvement in the psychiatric symptoms and self-esteem of 65 voice hearers assigned a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: Analysis of covariance with repeated measures procedures indicate that the 44 participants exposed to UC + CNI, were significantly more likely than the 21 participants exposed to UC only, to sustain significant improvement in psychiatric symptoms and self-esteem 1 year following treatment. IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide encouragement for nurses to further develop and investigate cognitive strategies to treat psychiatric symptoms of voice hearers.

Published 28 March 2007 in Perspect Psychiatr Care, 43(2): 69-76.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Psychosis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.