Mentalization-based approach for schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a psychotherapeutic proposal for evolved schizophrenic trajectories and serious mental disorders

TL;DR

This paper proposes a modified mentalization-based therapy for treating evolved schizophrenia and serious mental disorders, where traditional approaches are less effective.

Contribution

The paper introduces specific adaptations to mentalization-based treatment for patients with evolved schizophrenia.

Findings

Mentalization-based treatment can be adapted for individuals with evolved schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Adaptations focus on self-agency and the patient-therapist relationship to improve treatment accessibility.

The approach offers potential for future research and treatment in serious mental disorders.

Abstract

There is a growing interest in psychotherapeutic approaches to pre-psychotic high-risk states or first-episode psychosis, where mentalization-based treatment has shown its utility. This article presents a mentalization-based approach for the treatment of those individuals diagnosed with an evolved schizophrenia spectrum disorder, whose characteristics make them especially inaccessible to reflective psychotherapeutic treatment. A synthesis of the conceptual frameworks that justify the needs for technical modification of the mentalization-based treatment foundational techniques is carried out, followed by the proposal of adaptations, with a focus in self-agency and patient-therapist dyad. Therapeutic interventions are outlined, including illustrative examples. The mentalizing approach presented here holds promise for future research and treatment opportunities for patients with evolved schizophrenia and other serious mental disorders.