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. 2022 Dec 8;273(4):779–810. doi: 10.1007/s00406-022-01526-1

Table 2.

Characteristics of included studies. Arrows indicate under which term the intervention was considered for the analysis when applicable. (Adapted from [1], created with Microsoft Office)

Overall study characteristics Characteristics of patients
Ahuir et al [83]

Country: Spain

Study treatments (number of patients):

Meta Cognitive Therapy (n = 14),

Psychoeducation (n = 14)

Trial duration: 8 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 8

Study design: open label

Risk of bias*: moderate

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: psychotic disorder (DSM-IV)

Baseline severity: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) positive symptoms 9.85

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Barrowclough et al [39]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) (n = 57),

treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 56)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 10.4

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Gender: 82 (73%) men, 31 women (27%)

Mean age: 38.83 years

Baseline severity:

Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score: 63.8, positive symptoms 17.4, negative symptoms 14.1;

Duration of illness: 13.67 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Bradshaw [40]

Country: not available (author’s affiliation in the USA)

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 12),

day treatment program (n = 12)

Trial duration: 156 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Number of sessions: not available

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Role Functioning Scale

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Mean age: 32 years

Duration of illness: 11 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Bozzatello et al [84]

Country: Italy

Study treatments (number of patients):

Art therapy (n = 30),

Befriending (n = 32)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 24

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) & Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia spectrum disorder (DSM-V)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 29 men, 25 women

Mean age: 46.9 years

Duration of illness: 18.8 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Cather et al [41]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 16), psychoeducation (n = 14)

Trial duration: 16 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 15

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, depressed type (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 17 (57%) men, 13 (43%) women

Mean age: 40.4 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 51.1, positive symptoms factor 13.53, negative symptoms factor 14.32;

Duration of illness: 18 years

Medication: 100% of CBT arm taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Chadwick et al [42]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness (n = 11), wait-list (n = 11)

Trial duration: 10 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 10

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation

Diagnosis: psychotic disorder (criteria not available)

Mean age: 41.6 years

Duration of illness: 17.7 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Chien and Lee [43]

Country: Hongkong

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness-based psychoeducation (n = 48), TAU (n = 48)

Trial duration: 36 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 53 (55%) men, 43 (45%) women

Mean age: 25.9 years

Baseline severity: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total score 63.35

Duration of illness: 3.1 years

Medication: 84.375% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Chien and Thompson [44]

Country: Hongkong

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness-based psychoeducation (n = 36), TAU (n = 35), psychoeducation (n = 36)

Trial duration: 27 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 61 (57%) men, 46 (43%) women

Mean age: 25.63 years

Baseline severity: BPRS-18 total score 31.40

Duration of illness: 2.6 years

Medication: 87.85% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Chien et al [45]

Country: Hongkong

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness-based psychoeducation (n = 114), TAU (n = 114), psychoeducation (n = 114)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 216 (63%) men, 126 (37%) women

Mean age: 25.63 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 80.77, positive symptoms 20.23, negative symptoms 19.83

Duration of illness: 2.6 years

Medication: 89.77% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Chien et al [85]

Country: China & Hong Kong

Study treatments (number of patients):

Mindfulness-based Psychoeducation Group Programme (MPGP) (n = 60), Conventional Psychoeducation Group Programme (CPGP) (n = 60), TAU (n = 60)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions:12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF)

Diagnosis: Schizophrenia or its subtypes according to DSM-IV-TR

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 100 men, 80 women

Mean age: 25–28 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score: 94.73, positive symptoms 27.67, negative symptoms 23.6

Duration of illness: 2.1–2.5 years

Medication: 51.6% taking first generation antipsychotics, 28.3% taking second generation antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Crawford et al [46]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

art therapy (n = 140), activity group (n = 140), TAU (n = 137)

Trial duration: 52 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 52

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (clinical diagnosis)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 279 (67%) men, 138 (33%) women

Mean age: 41 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 74.08, positive symptoms 17.84, negative symptoms 18.63

Duration of illness: 19.33 years

Medication: 96% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

De Jong et al. 2018

Country: Netherlands

Study treatments (number of patients):

Metacognitive reflection and insight therapy (MERIT) (n = 35), treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 35)

Trial duration: 40 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 40

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV-TR)

Setting: NA

Gender: 49 men, 21 women

Mean age: 40 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score: 66.23

Duration of illness: 13.76 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

De Pinho et al. 2020

Country: Portugal

Study treatments (number of patients):

Meta Cognitive Training (n = 27), treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 29)

Trial duration: 4 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: NA

Number of sessions: 8

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: Schizophrenia (clinical diagnosis)

Setting: unclear

Gender: 30 men, 26 women

Mean age: 50.48 years

Baseline severity: NA

Duration of illness: NA

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Durham et al [47]

Country: Scotland

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 22), supportive therapy (n = 23), TAU (n = 21)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 20

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment Scale (GAS)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder (ICD-10 and DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 45 (68%) men, 21 women (32%)

Mean age: 36.3 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 96.63, PSYRATS total 35.57

Duration of illness: 13 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Farhall et al [48]

Country: Australia

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 45), TAU (n = 49)

Trial duration: 52 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: trainees allowed

Number of sessions: 17.05

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Life Skills Profile

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, or mood disorder with psychotic features (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 54 (59%) men, 38 (41%) women

Mean age: 32.85 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 59.31, positive symptoms 14.63; negative symptoms 14.78

Medication: 90.43% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Fujii et al [95]

Country: Japan

Study treatments (number of patients):

Meta Cognitive Training (n = 11), Occupational Therapy (n = 11)

Trial duration: 16 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: NA

Number of sessions: 16

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis:

Schizophrenia according to DSM-V

Setting: inpatients

Gender: 10 men, 7 women

Mean age: 54.25 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 107.8, positive symptoms 25.75; negative symptoms 28.04

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Garety et al [49]

(total sample)

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 133),

family intervention (n = 28),

TAU (n = 140)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 14.3 (CBT), 13.9 (FI)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS)

Diagnosis:

non-affective psychosis (ICD-10 and DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 211 (70%) men, 90 (30%) women

Mean age: 37.54 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 65.16, positive symptoms 18.15, negative symptoms 13.27

Duration of illness: 10.8 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Garety et al [49]

(sample a)

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 27), family intervention (n = 28), TAU (n = 28)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 13.9

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS)

Diagnosis:

non-affective psychosis (DSM-IV and ICD–10)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 60 (72%) men, 23 (28%) women

Mean age: 36.4 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 67.31, positive symptoms 17.16, negative symptoms 15.58

Duration of illness: 11.57 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Garety et al [49]

(sample b)

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 106), TAU (n = 112)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 14.3

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS)

Diagnosis: non-affective psychosis (DSM-IV and ICD–10)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 151 (69%) men, 67 (31%) women

Mean age: 38.1 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 64.29, positive symptoms 18.51, negative symptoms 12.38

Duration of illness: 10.4 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Gottlieb et al [50]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 19), TAU (n = 18)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Number of sessions: 10

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis not otherwise specified diagnosis (NA)

Setting: outpatients; 23 (62%) men, 14 women (38%)

Mean age: 42.04 years

Baseline severity: BPRS-24 total score 54.92, Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) 53.06, BPRS negative symptoms 6.23

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Granholm et al [51]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

cognitive behavioural social skills training (CBSST) (n = 37), TAU (n = 39)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 24

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 56 (74%) men, 20 (26%) women

Mean age: 53.78 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 53.37, positive symptoms 12.73, negative symptoms 14.66

Duration of illness: 29.23 years

Medication: 87.5% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Granholm et al [52]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBSST (n = 41), goal-focused supportive contact (n = 38)

Trial duration: 36 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 30.3 (CBSST),

29.6 (goal-focused supportive contact)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 44 (56%) men, 35 (44%) women

Mean age: 55 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 64.63, positive symptoms 18.06

Medication: 94.94% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Granholm et al [53]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBSST(n = 73), goal-focused supportive contact (n = 76)

Trial duration: 36 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 12.2 (CBSST),

15.6 (goal-focused supportive contact)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 99 (66%) men, 50 (34%) women

Mean age: 41.36 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score 72.42, positive symptoms 19.81

Duration of illness: 21.35 years

Medication: 97.32% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Granholm et al [87]

Country: United States of America

Study treatments (number of patients):

Mobile-assisted CBSST (MA-CBSST) (n = 17), Cognitive-behavioral social skills training (CBSST) (n = 26), device contact-only (DC-only) (n = 14)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 24

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV-TR) per the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I/P)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 47 men, 10 women

Mean age: 56.1 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score: 70.64, positive symptoms 18.39

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Grant et al [54]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

cognitive therapy (n = 31), standard treatment (n = 29)

Treatment setting: individual

Trial duration: 18 months

Number of sessions: 50.5

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment Scale (GAS)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 40 (67%) men, 20 (33%) women

Mean age: 38.46 years

Baseline severity: Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) score 17.33

Duration of illness: 15.52 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Gurcan et al 2021

Country: Turkey

Study treatments (number of patients):

Narrative therapy (n = 14), movie therapy (n = 14)

Trial duration: 14 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: trainee therapist allowed

Number of sessions: 28

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-V)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 71,4% men, 28,6% women

Mean age: 40.75 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score: 74.74, positive symptoms 16.06; negative symptoms 20.31

Duration of illness: 18.17 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Haddock et al [55]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 38),

social activity therapy (n = 39)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions:

17 (CBT), 17.4 (social activity therapy)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-VI)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 66 (86%) men, 11 (14%) women

Mean age: 34.8 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 63.81, positive symptoms 27.6, negative symptoms 13.04

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Ishikawa et al 2019

Country: Japan

Study treatments (number of patients):

TAU + MCT (Meta Cognitive Training) (n = 24), treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 26)

Trial duration: 10 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 10

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizotypal, and delusional disorders (ICD 10)

Setting: inpatients & outpatients

Gender: 25 men, 25 women

Mean age: 47.5 years

Baseline severity: positive symptoms 23.78

Duration of illness: 21.04 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Jenner et al [20]

Country: Netherlands

Study treatments (number of patients): hallucination focused integrative treatment (n = 39), TAU (n = 39)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 11

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Groningen Social Disabilities Schedule

Diagnosis:

non-affective psychosis, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 41 (54%) men, 35 (46%) women

Mean age: 36.35 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score 60.2, positive symptoms 16.05, negative symptoms 13.25

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Klingberg et al [57]

Country: Germany

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 99), cognitive remediation (n = 99)

Trial duration: 36 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: trainees allowed

Number of sessions: 16.6 (CBT), 13.7 (cognitive remediation)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 87 women (43.94%), 111 men (56.06%)

Mean age: 36.9 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 59.45, positive symptoms 10.5, negative symptoms 18.55

Duration of illness: 12.5 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Kråkvik et al [58]

Country: Norway

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 23), wait-list (n = 22)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: trainees allowed

Number of sessions: 20

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or persistent delusional disorder (ICD-10)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 29 (64%) men, 16 (36%) women

Mean age: 36.36 years

Baseline severity: BPRS-24 score 49.49

Duration of illness: 10.9 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Kuipers et al [59]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT and family intervention (n = 32), TAU (n = 27)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Number of sessions: not available

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: any functional psychosis (OPCRIT)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 45 (76%) men, 14 (24%) women

Mean age: 27.8 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 73.11, positive symptoms 17.39, negative symptoms 16.86

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Lee et al [60]

Country: Korea

Study treatments (number of patients): group music therapy (n = 12), control (n = 12)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 18

Study design: not available

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 25 (75%) men, 5 (25%) women

Mean age: 40.55 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 94.5, positive symptoms 21.25, negative symptoms 23.2

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Li et al 2015

Country: China

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 96), supportive therapy (n = 96)

Trial duration: 24 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 15

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 72 (38%) men, 120 (63%) women

Mean age: 31.36 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 72.6, positive symptoms 23.43, negative symptoms 20.4

Duration of illness: 8.21 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Lincoln et al [62]

Country: Germany

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 40), TAU (n = 40)

Trial duration: 38 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: trainees allowed

Number of sessions: 28.9 (CBT), 2 (TAU)

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, or brief psychotic disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 45 (56%) men, 35 (44%) women

Mean age: 33.15 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 63.15, positive symptoms 14.95, negative symptoms 14.15

Duration of illness: 10.4 years

Medication: 96.25% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Martin et al [63]

Country: Germany

Study treatments (number of patients): dance and movement therapy and body psychotherapy (n = 44), TAU (n = 24)

Trial duration: 10 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: trainees allowed

Number of sessions: 20

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia spectrum disorder (ICD-10)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 36 (53%) men, 32 (47%) women

Mean age: 39.8 years

Baseline severity: BPRS total score 38.16, SANS 25.03

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Matthews [64]

Country: USA

Study treatments (number of patients):

psychotherapy (n = 28), TAU (n = 14)

Trial duration: 8 weeks

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 8

Study design: not available

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (NA)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 21 (50%) men, 21 (50%) women

Mean age: 24.95 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Montag et al [65]

Country: Germany

Study treatments (number of patients):

psychodynamic art therapy (n = 29), TAU (n = 29)

Trial duration: 6 weeks

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients

Gender: 38 (72%) men, 15 (28%) women

Mean age: 38.1 years

Baseline severity: SAPS total score 60.15, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) 45.6

Duration of illness: 12.6 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Morrison et al [66]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

cognitive therapy (n = 37), TAU (n = 37)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 13.3

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or delusional disorder; diagnostic uncertainty in early phases of psychosis (Early intervention for psychosis service) (ICD-10 or PANSS)

Gender: 39 (53%) men, 35 (47%) women

Mean age: 31.32 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 71.76, positive symptoms 20.98, negative symptoms 14.52;

Medication: 0% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Morrison et al [90]

Country: United Kingdom

Study treatments (number of patients):

cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) (n = 242),

treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 245)

Trial duration: 39 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: only expert therapists

Number of sessions: 26

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or delusional disorder, or criteria for an Early Intervention for Psychosis service to allow for diagnostic uncertainty in early phases (ICD-10)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 349 men, 138 women

Mean age: 42.5 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score: 83.05; positive symptoms 24.95; negative symptoms 19.35

Duration of illness: 19 years

Medication: 91% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: yes

Naeem et al [67]

Country: Canada

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 18), TAU (n = 15)

Trial duration: 16 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Number of sessions: 14

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule) WHODAS 2.0

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 17 (52%) men, 16 (48%) women

Mean age: 40.45 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 50.24, positive symptoms 13.54, negative symptoms 12.18

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Ochoa et al [68]

Country: Spain

Study treatments (number of patients): metacognitive training (n = 65), psychoeducation (n = 57)

Trial duration: 8 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 5.53 (metacognitive training), 4.95 (psychoeducation)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, brief psychotic disorder, or schizophreniform disorder (DSM-IV-TR)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 85 (70%) men, 37 (30%) women

Mean age: 27.59 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 54.33, positive symptoms 12.22, negative symptoms 14.63

Duration of illness: 2.29 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Ozdemir and Budak 2022

Country: Turkey

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) (n = 50), psychoeducation group (n = 50), control group (n = 56)

Trial duration: 8 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: only expert therapists

Number of sessions: 8

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia (FROGS) scale

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-V)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 106 men, 31 women

Mean age: 43.77 years

Duration of illness: 16.36 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Palma et al [22]

Country: Spain

Study treatments (number of patients):

Cognitive-Motivational Therapy (PIPE) (n = 35), Routine Care (n = 27)

Trial duration: 52 weeks

Treatment setting: individual & family

Therapist expertise: expert only

Number of sessions: 34

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: initial phase of schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients & outpatients

Gender: 46 men, 16 women

Mean age: 25.5 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score: 104, positive symptoms 38,8, negative symptoms 30,7

Duration of illness: 1 year

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Penadés et al [69]

Country: Spain

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 20), cognitive remediation (n = 20)

Trial duration: 16 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 40

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Life Skills Profile

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 23 men (57.5%), 17 women (42.5%)

Mean age: 35.1 years

Baseline severity: PANSS score 66.99, positive symptoms 11.27, negative symptoms 20.17

Duration of illness: 13.8 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Penn et al [70]

Country: USA

Study treatments: CBT (n = 32), supportive therapy (n = 33)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 8.3

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 33 (51%) men, 32 (49%) women

Mean age: 40.65 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 61.75, positive symptoms 17.55, negative symptoms 13.9

Duration of illness: 15.4 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Pos et al [92]

Country: Netherlands

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBTsa (Social Activation) (n = 49), TAU (n = 50)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Treatment setting: group & individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 14

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or a related disorder with onset of their first psychotic episode 4 years prior to inclusion (DSM-IV-TR)

Setting: inpatients & outpatients

Gender: male 80, female 19

Mean age: 25.43 years

Baseline severity: NA

Duration of illness: NA

Medication: 91.7% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Pot-Kolder et al [26]

Country: Netherlands

Study treatments (number of patients):

virtual-reality exposure therapy for psychosis (n = 58), wait-list (n = 58)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Number of sessions: 16

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS)

Diagnosis: psychotic disorder (DSM-IV)

Gender: 82 (71%) men, 34 (29%) women

Mean age: 38 years

Duration of illness: 14.1 years

Medication: 95.5% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Richardson et al [72]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

art therapy (n = 43), TAU (n = 47)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Diagnosis: chronic schizophrenia (NA)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 59 (66%) men, 31 (34%) women

Mean age: 41.17 years

Baseline severity: BPRS total score 15.57, SANS 8.44

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Schrank et al [73]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

group psychotherapy (n = 47), TAU (n = 47)

Trial duration: 11 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Number of sessions: 7

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Health of the Nation Outcome Scale

Diagnosis: diagnosis of psychosis defined as schizophrenia and other psychoses including schizoaffective and delusional disorder but not depressive psychosis or psychosis due to substance misuse (clinical diagnosis)

Setting: inpatients and outpatients

Gender: 56 (60%) men, 38 (40%) women

Mean age: 42.5 years

Baseline severity: BPRS-18 total score 32.14

Duration of illness: 13.5 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Shawyer et al [74]

Country: Australia

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 21), befriending (n = 22)

Trial duration: 15 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 14.3 (CBT), 14.4 (Befriending)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or related condition (DSM-IV)

Gender: 24 (56%) men, 19 (44%) women

Mean age: 39.8 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 62.89, positive symptoms 15.99, negative symptoms 14.15

Duration of illness: 14.71 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Shawyer et al [75]

Country: Australia

Study treatments (number of patients): acceptance and commitment therapy (n = 49), befriending (n = 47)

Trial duration: 13 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 7

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV-TR)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 59 (61%) men, 37 (39%) women

Mean age: 34.3 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 78.25, positive symptoms 21.8, negative symptoms 18

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Startup et al [76]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients): CBT (n = 47), TAU (n = 43)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 12.9

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective (DSM-IV)

Setting: inpatients

Gender: 68 (76%) men, 22 (24%) women

Mean age: 30.8 years

Baseline severity:

BPRS-16 total score 45.75, SAPS positive symptoms 10.7, SANS negative symptoms 8.9;

Duration of illness: 6.95 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Talwar et al [77]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

music therapy (n = 33), TAU (n = 48)

Trial duration: 12 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Number of sessions: 8

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: low

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia, or schizophrenia-like psychoses (ICD-10)

Setting: inpatients

Gender: 60 (74%) men, 21 (26%) women

Mean age: 37.36 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 71.72, positive symptoms 16.36, negative symptoms 19.20

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Tarrier et al [78]

Country: UK

Study treatments: CBT (n = 25), TAU (n = 24)

Trial duration: 16 weeks

Treatment setting: individual

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 24

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis:

schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (DSM-IV)

Gender: 31 (63%) men, 18 (37%) women

Mean age: 34.9 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 60.12, positive symptoms 15.44, negative symptoms 13.29

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

O Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Valencia et al]. [79]

Country: Mexico

Study treatments (number of patients): music therapy (n = 18), psychosocial therapy (n = 18), multiple therapies (n = 18)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Number of sessions:

44 (MT), 44 (PST), 108 (MultipleT)

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 33 (77%) men, 10 (23%) women

Mean age: 30.5 years

Duration of illness: 8.13 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: yes

van der Gaag et al [80]

Country: Netherlands

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 110), TAU (n = 106)

Treatment setting: individual

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Number of sessions: 13

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Social Functioning Scale (SFS)

Country:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV-TR)

Gender: 153 (71%) men, 63 (29%) women

Mean age: 36.99 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 69.3, PSYRATS total 31.35

Duration of illness: 10.58 years

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Wang et al [81]

Country: Hong Kong

Study treatments (number of patients):

mindfulness-based psychoeducation (n = 46), psychoeducation (n = 46), TAU (n = 46)

Trial duration: 26 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 12

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias: moderate

Functioning scale: Specific Levels of Functioning (SLOF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or its subtypes (DSM-IV-TR)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 72 (52%) men, 66 (48%) women

Mean age: 24.3 years

Baseline severity: PANSS total score 87.93, positive symptoms 26.57, negative symptoms 18.3

Duration of illness: 2.03 years

Medication: 85.51% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Wykes et al [82]

Country: UK

Study treatments (number of patients):

CBT (n = 45), TAU (n = 40)

Trial duration: 10 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: experts only

Number of sessions: 7

Study design: open label

Risk of bias: high

Functioning scale: Social Behaviour Schedule

Diagnosis: schizophrenia (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 50 (59%) men, 35 (41%) women

Mean age: 39.7 years

Baseline severity: PSYRATS hallucination score 27.95

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

Yildiz et al. [93]

Country: Turkey

Study treatments (number of patients):

Psychosocial Skills Training (PST) (n = 10), Meta Cognitive Training (MCT) (n = 10)

Trial duration: 20 weeks

Treatment setting: group

Therapist expertise: only expert

Number of sessions: 40

Study design: single blind

Risk of bias*: moderate

Functioning scale: Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Diagnosis: schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV)

Setting: outpatients

Gender: 13 men, 7 women

Mean age: 35.25 years

Baseline severity:

PANSS total score: 81.85

Duration of illness: 13.4 years

Medication: 100% taking antipsychotics

Only treatment resistant patients included: no

*The overall risk of bias was calculated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (Higgins et al. [30]) and the approach described by Furukawa [31]. For this evaluation, the domain “blinding of participants and personnel” was not considered as patients and therapists usually cannot be blinded in psychological interventions