Strength Based Approach in Treating Schizophrenia

This article discusses the strength based approach in treating schizophrenia. It explains how this approach can help improve the quality of life and decrease symptoms. It also provides information on different strength based therapies that can be used to treat behavioral symptoms related to schizophrenia.

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STRENGTH BASED APPROACH
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Author’s note

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Strength based approach in treating schizophrenia
Deficit based practice have long been used for helping out the professionals for addressing the
needs and the problems of gifted children. While addressing the mental health problems, a strong
belief that prevails it that once the presenting problem is identified, an expert can be found and
he can then fix out a prescription to cure the condition (Kapp et al., 2013). It has to be kept in
mind that deficit based approaches can create dependency on outside solutions. One of the
foremost problem with deficit based approach is that the interventions comes often too late
superseding after the problem is already present rather than intervening to prevent the problem.
Research has suggested that deficit based programs mainly focus on what the youth and the
children are doing wrong and are found to be unsuccessful unlike the programs that mainly focus
on the strengths of the young generation (Kapp et al., 2013). An example to this can be given
such as; the zero tolerance policy towards school bullying can result in increased level of
suspensions without the knowledge of how the behaviors can be changed. It basically do not stop
the problems of bullying, who typically spends more unnoticed and unsupervised time in the
community or home. Strength based approach on the other hand moves the subject away from
the weaknesses of the people and focus on strengths of the client (Amaresha &
Venkatasubramanian, 2012).
The case study reveals the fact that the individual had been recently diagnosed with
schizophrenia, which was previously believed to be the signs of autism and hence the treatment
was mainly based on behavioral treatment depending upon the situation. On this context it can be
said that when a health care provider portrays a gloomy picture of people having mental illness,

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the clients also perceives themselves negatively. According to the researchers 24 % of the people
suffering from schezophrenia have scored less in self regard on the basis of Rosenberg self
esteem scale (RSES) (Zargham-Boroujeni et al., 2015).
In this case a positive psychotherapy can be used which will be able to focus more on the
internal strengths and less on weakness, shortcomings and failures. This can help to set up a
positive mindset in the patient in the scenario that will help to find own strength, improve the
resilience and achieve a positive worldview. Strength based therapy can include talk therapy
which can guide the patient in retelling the history of the stressors, trauma and emphasize on
pain having more emphasis on the strength and survival than that of weakness (Xie, 2013).
Strength based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, personal therapy,
compliance therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy; supportive psychotherapy can be used
to treat the behavioral symptoms related to Schizophrenia (Xie, 2013). Cognitive behavioral
therapy has shown significant improvements in depression, negative symptoms and social
functioning. CBT is again not suited for the patients who are cute sufferers. Personal therapy can
be suitable to individuals who have been discharged from clinical settings. Supportive therapy
can be used to counsel the patient while dealing with life issues by dealing their problems with
general assistance, clarifications and reassurance (Chien et al., 2013). A paradigm shift from
deficit based to strength based will help to increase the level of functioning in the patient. The
quality of life will improve and the symptoms will decrease. It will bring about a change in the
self image of the client (Zargham-Boroujeni et al., 2015). Higher level of resiliency would cater
to the mental well being of the patient. The primary principles of strength based approach is to
utilize the strength already possessed by the patient, secondly the client has to be motivated to
focus on the strengths (Rashid, 2015). Finally, the environment from where the client will derive

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resources to strengthen his or skills should be conducing enough. The family and the
communities can help to identify the informal support system that can be provided to such
patients. Meetings, social intervention gatherings and educational sessions can help the patient to
share his stories with one other as well as the practitioners (Chien et al., 2013). It is essential to
develop the therapeutic relationship between the consumer and the practitioner. According to
researchers hardiness can be correlated negatively to mental disorders. They have also indicated
the relation between the hope of recovery, strength, productive and a satisfying life style
(Zargham-Boroujeni et al., 2015).
It can be said that treatment of schizophrenia cannot be treated with one psychotherapy as
no single method can address all the problems. A combination of cognitive remediation, illness
education and social skills training along with medications can serve as the best treatment.
Emotional support in handling with a disabling illness, enhancing the coping strategies for
promoting functional recovery and alteration of the underneath pathophysiology are the main
elements of the future psychotherapy interventions for schizophrenia.

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References
Amaresha, A. C., & Venkatasubramanian, G. (2012). Expressed emotion in schizophrenia: an
overview. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 34(1), 12.
Chien, W. T., Leung, S. F., Yeung, F. K., & Wong, W. K. (2013). Current approaches to
treatments for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, part II: psychosocial interventions and
patient-focused perspectives in psychiatric care. Neuropsychiatric Disease and
Treatment, 9, 1463–1481. http://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S49263
Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Deficit, difference, or
both? Autism and neurodiversity. Developmental psychology, 49(1), 59.
Rashid, T. (2015). Positive psychotherapy: A strength-based approach. The Journal of Positive
Psychology, 10(1), 25-40.
Xie, H. (2013). Strengths-Based Approach for Mental Health Recovery. Iranian Journal of
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 7(2), 5–10.
Zargham-Boroujeni, A., Maghsoudi, J., & Oreyzi, H. R. (2015). Focusing on psychiatric
patients’ strengths: A new vision on mental health care in Iran. Iranian Journal of
Nursing and Midwifery Research, 20(3), 340–346.