Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an established adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia with a growing evidence base. More recently, CBT has been applied to individuals identified as being at risk for developing psychosis in an attempt to delay or prevent a transition to psychosis, to reduce symptoms and improve functioning. CBT has also been employed effectively with adolescents in the treatment of depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders and eating disorders. This paper reviews the evidence for the use of CBT with the clinical high risk for psychosis population and addresses adaptations to the approach for use specifically with adolescents.