Cognitive-behavioural approaches for working with complexity in people with psychosis
Keynote 24 - Cognitive-behavioural Approaches for Working with Complexity in People with Psychosis
Saturday, June 27, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM PDT
Location: Golden Gate B, B2 Level
Earn 1 Credit
Keywords: CBT, Psychosis/Psychotic Disorders, Suicide Level of Familiarity: Moderate Recommended Readings: Haddock, G., Eisner, E., Davies, G., Coupe, N., & Barrowclough, C. (2013). Psychotic Symptoms, self-harm and violence with schizophrenia and substance misuse problems, Schizophrenia Research 151(1-3), 215-20. , Haddock, G., Pratt, D., Gooding, P.A., Peter, S., Emsley, R., Evans, E., Kelly, J., Huggett, C., Munro, A., Harris, K., Davies., L. and Awenat, Y. (2019) Randomised controlled trial of feasibility and acceptability of suicide prevention therapy in acute psychiatric wards. BJPsychOpen 16;18(1):334 doi.10.1186/s12888-018-1921-6. , Gooding, P., Pratt, D., Edwards, D., Awenat, Y., Drake, R.J., Emsley,R., Jones, S., Kapur, N., Lobban, F., Peters, S., Boardman, B., Harris, K., Huggett, C. & Haddock, G. (2025) Underlying mechanisms and efficacy of a suicide-focused psychological intervention for psychosis: The Cognitive AppRoaches to coMbatting Suicidality (CARMS), multicentre, single-masked, randomised controlled trial conducted in the UK. Lancet Psychiatry." , ,
Professor of Clinical Psychology University of Manchester
Cognitive-behavioural approaches for working with complexity in people with psychosis Psychosis and schizophrenia are huge global issues and present significant challenges for individual, carers and services. Cognitive-behavioural approaches for people with psychosis are well established, with a large evidence base attesting to their effectiveness and guidelines advocating their implementation in services. However, these approaches have not been well evaluated and developed for people with additional complexities such severe and distressing psychotic symptoms, suicidality, substance use, anger and violence. The impact of these complexities on the individual and their families and friends is immense, and results in substantial and long-lasting distress to many aspects of life. This paper will describe a programme of work which has focused on the development of treatments which directly target those factors which underpin such complexities. The paper will report on several trials evaluating the approaches as applied across a number of settings. Some of the theoretical underpinnings and implications with be discussed and key issues relating to implementation of such approaches with service users and staff will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Explain an overview the research evidence base for CBT for people with psychosis.
Discuss the evidence and approaches used with people with complexity in psychosis e.g. severe psychotic symptoms, suicidal thinking, substance misuse, anger and violence.
Describe treatment models and interventions for complex cases with psychosis.
