Identifying an optimal treatment for schizophrenia: a 2-year randomized controlled trial comparing integrated care to a high-quality routine treatment.

Objective: This study used repeated outcome measures over a 2-year period to compare the clinical and social benefits of routine schizophrenia treatment with those of evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial treatment strategies.

Method: One hundred patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria were randomly assigned to 24 months of either optimal case management (OCM) or routine case management (RCM). OCM involved minimally effective doses of antipsychotic medication with compliance training, an identical treatment programme with the addition of manual-based communication and problem solving training to help patients and caregivers manage stress, social skills training, supported employment, cognitive-behavioural strategies for residual psychotic and non-psychotic symptoms, as well as anger management and substance use counselling.

The questionnaire of family functioning: a preliminary validation of a standardized instrument to evaluate psychoeducational family treatments.

The aim of the study was to develop and preliminarily validate a self-completed questionnaire that could help in the assessment of families before and during psycho-educational interventions. The questionnaire was developed according to the cognitive-behavioural psycho-educational model. From an initial 38-item version of the questionnaire, a final shorter 24-item version was derived.

The VADO approach in psychiatric rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study investigated whether a specific structured planning and evaluation approach called VADO (in English, Skills Assessment and Definition of Goals) resulted in improved personal and social functioning among patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 85 patients with chronic schizophrenia who were under a stable medication regimen were randomly allocated to the VADO-based intervention or to routine care; 78 completed the program. Interventions were carried out in nine Italian day treatment or residential rehabilitation facilities.

Two years of continued early treatment for recent-onset schizophrenia: a randomised controlled study.

Objective: This random-controlled study evaluated benefits derived from continued integrated biomedical and psychosocial treatment for recent-onset schizophrenia.

Method: Fifty cases of schizophrenia of less than 2 years duration were allocated randomly to integrated or standard treatment (ST) for 2 years. ST comprised optimal pharmacotherapy and case management, while IT also included cognitive-behavioural family treatment, that incorporated skills training, cognitive-behavioural strategies for residual psychotic and non-psychotic problems and home-based crisis management.