Johnson1717.Johnson DP, Penn DL, Fredrickson BL, Kring AM, Meyer PS, Catalino LI, et al. A pilot study of loving-kindness meditation for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2011;129:137-40. (USA) |
Pre/post intervention |
SCZ, predominance of negative symptoms n=18 (83% male) Mean age: 29.4 years |
No |
LKM (technique used to increase feelings of warmth and caring for self and others which originated in the ancient Buddhist meditative practice of metta) |
Baseline, post-treatment, 3-month follow-up |
SBI (future subscale) SPWB (self-acceptance) SWLS |
Improvement in all outcomes. Analyses of the future SBI subscale revealed a large amount of positive effects over 3 months of follow-up. Improvement in life satisfaction, with large effects in the post-treatment and medium to large in the 3-month follow-up |
Meyer33.Meyer PS, Johnson DP, Parks A, Iwanski C, Penn DL. Positive living: a pilot study of group positive psychotherapy for people with schizophrenia. J Posit Psychol. 2012;7:239-48. (USA) |
Pre/post design |
SCZ, SAD n=16 (56% female) Mean age: 39.6 years |
No |
Positive living - modified PPT, 10 sessions and reinforcement after 6 weeks |
Baseline, post-intervention, for 3 months |
SPWB SBI DHS SERS-SF RAS BSI |
Significant improvement in all assessments of well-being, hope, symptoms, resilience and savoring, at the end of the program and after 3 months. Self-esteem improved after the intervention, but was not maintained during follow-up |
Favrod1818.Favrod J, Nguyen A, Fankhauser C, Ismailaj A, Hasler JD, Ringuet A, et al. Positive emotions program for schizophrenia (PEPS): a pilot intervention to reduce anhedonia and apathy. BMC Psychiatry. 2015;15:231. (Switzerland) |
Pre/post-test intervention |
SCZ, SAD n=37 (24 men) Mean age: 41.84 years |
No |
PEPS |
Baseline and post-intervention |
SBI SANS CDSS |
Little effect, without statistical significance in the SBI. Significant improvement in the assessment-apathy and anhedonia domains in SANS and CDSS |
Schrank1919.Schrank B, Brownell T, Jakaite Z, Larkin C, Pesola F, Riches S, et al. Evaluation of a positive psychotherapy group intervention for people with psychosis: pilot randomised controlled trial. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2015;25:235-46. (United Kingdom) |
Randomized pilot study, placebo-controlled |
SCZ, SAD and Delusional n=94 (47 intervention, 26 men, mean age 43 years; 47 control, 30 men, mean age 42 years) |
TAU |
WELLFOCUS PPT, 11 weeks (PPT for people with psychosis. Is intended to augment existing mental health practice to increase well-being) |
Baseline, post-intervention |
WEMWBS SER-S PPI SBI MANSA BPRS |
Non-significant result for primary and secondary outcome measures, except for BPRS and PPI, which showed improvements with moderate effects |
Meyer-Kalos2020.Meyer-Kalos PS, Ludwig KA, Gaylord S,Perkins DO, Grewen K, Palsson OS, et al. Enhancing stress reactivity and wellbeing in early schizophrenia: a pilot study of individual coping awareness therapy (I-CAT). Schizophr Res. 2018;201:413-4. (USA) |
Open-label, single-arm |
Recent SCZ (less than 5 years) n=6 (67% male) Mean age: 23.9 years |
No |
I-CAT (two core elements: 1) in vivo practice of mindfulness and positive psychology strategies and 2) development of an individualized plan that is incorporated into daily routine) |
Baseline, post- intervention and 3-month follow-up |
SPWB CD-RISC PANSS QLS |
Improvement in all outcomes. Results were mitigated at follow-up |
Kim2121.Kim J, Na H. [Effects of a positive psychotherapy program on positive affect, interpersonal relations, resilience, and mental health recovery in community-dwelling people with schizophrenia]. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2017;47:638-50. (South Korea) |
Randomized, controlled study with blinded assessments |
SCZ, SAD n=57 (28 intervention, 13 male, mean age 43.6 years; 29 control, 16 male, mean age 45.7 years) |
TAU |
WELLFOCUS5 weeks with 2 weekly sessions |
Baseline, post-treatment |
PANAS CD-RISC |
No difference for PANAS positive affections. Increased resilience |
Kang2222.Kang SJ, Ko SH, Kim JY, Kim SR. Effects of a mental fitness positive psychology intervention program on inpatients with schizophrenia in South Korea: a feasibility study. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2020;56:6-13. (South Korea) |
Quasi-experimental pre/post study (in patients) |
SCZ, SAD n=60 (30 intervention, 15 men, mean age 50.83 years; 30 control, 15 men, mean age 52.23 years) |
TAU |
Mental fitness 8 sessions, twice weekly (promotes systematic and conscious training to generate positive emotional experiences and life satisfaction, which is similar to how one improves physical health through a physical fitness regimen) |
Baseline, 4 weeks post-intervention |
Self-esteem scale |
Significant post-test and follow-up improvement |
Favrod66.Favrod J, Nguyen A, Chaix J, Pellet J, Frobert L, Fankhauser C, et al. Improving pleasure and motivation in schizophrenia: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Psychother Psychosom. 2019;88:84-95. (Switzerland) |
RCT, single-arm, blinded. Pilot block randomization |
SCZ, SAD n=80 (40 intervention, 21 men, mean age 39.98 years; 40 control, 28 men, mean age 39.83 years) |
TAU |
PEPS8 weeks (Intervention meant to reduce anhedonia and apathy. The program teaches skills to help overcome defeatist thinking and increase anticipation and maintenance of positive emotions) |
Baseline, post-intervention and after 6-month follow-up |
SBI TEPS ACIPS SANS CDSS |
TEPS yielded a significant improvement with medium effect sizes. At follow-up, only the consumer subscale remained with significant improvement. ACIPS and SBI significantly improved post-intervention and at follow-up, with medium effect sizes. SANS improved significantly with a sustained effect. CDSS presented no improvement |
Lim2323.Lim MH, Gleeson JF, Rodebaugh TL, Eres R, Long KM, Casey K, et al. A pilot digital intervention targeting loneliness in young people with psychosis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2020;55:877-89. (Australia) |
Simple intervention group |
SCZ, SAD n=12 (9 men). Mean age: 20..5 years |
No |
+Connect (smartphone app for loneliness) |
Baseline, post-treatment, 3-month follow-up |
SPWB PANSS CDSS |
Improvement of all outcomes at post-intervention and follow-up |