Efficacy of Behavior Therapy and Parent Management Training in Treating Schizophreniform Disorder

Abstract

This case study describes the management of Schizophreniform Disorder in a 16 year old adolescent male, an inpatient at the Psychiatry Department of the Services Hospital, Lahore. The intervention was comprised of different strategies of Behavior Therapy and Parent Management Training. The treatment comprised of 19 sessions with duration of 45 minutes. The treatment was done for over a period of 3 months. The patient was referred to clinical psychologist and accompanied by his mother with the complaints of anger issues, physical aggression towards the mother, stubbornness, abusive language, suspiciousness towards the mother, hiding belongings of other family members and hoarding them in his room, not leave his room for the last 2-3 months, inappropriate association and interaction with a pet cat, poor self-care and medical non-compliance. Assessment was done on the basis of diagnostic criteria in DSM-5 and Brief Psychotic Rating Scale (BPRS). The patient was diagnosed with 295.40 (F20.81) Schizophreniform Disorder without good prognostic features. It was hypothesized that Behavior Therapy would reduce the behavioral complaints (anger, stubbornness, hoarding things, not leaving the room, inappropriate interaction with pet cat, poor self-care and medicine non-adherence). Moreover, Parent Management Training would help in resolving familial issues which could be contributing factors towards the patient‟s illness. ABA research design was employed. In phase-A, psychological assessment was conducted. The current case srudy was conceptualized by Zubin and Spring (1977) Stress Vulnerability Model. During Phase B, the treatment phase, Mr. X was treated by using Behavior Therapy, while his mother was offered Parent Management Training. Comparison of pre and post treatment assessment showed marked decrease in the severity and duration of symptoms of the patient. It concluded that Behavior Therapy and Parent Management Training simultaneously were effective for treatment of the symptoms of schizophreniform disorder.