Newspaper headline: Treatment for schizophrenia is successful. Sensky et al. (2000) conducted a longitudinal study and found that cognitive-behavioural therapy was effective. It treated both negative and positive symptoms in patients that were resistant to drug treatments for schizophrenia.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [2] Gathering baseline data at the outset of a programme allows a comparison with data gathered afterward, allowing changes to be tracked to determine whether any intervention has been effective.
2. [2] Participants may drop out over the 9 months of therapy and 9 months of follow-up
3. [2] Over time, participants may not follow the treatment programme exactly; may take other medications; may develop other symptoms and/or illnesses.
4. [1] 'manualized cognitive behavioural therapy developed particularly for schizophrenia with that of a nonspecific befriending control intervention.'
5. [2] Researchers do not allocate participants to conditions so there is no bias. Instead participants are allocated randomly, by chance, so reducing extraneous variables. Use of control group etc.
6. [1] no drugs are taken
7. [1] the patient does not become addicted to drugs
8. [1] the patient plays a more active role in their own treatment
9. [1] a therapist is there to guide the patient through the treatment
10. [1] more effort is needed by the patient; it isn't passive as is taking a drug
11. [1] the cause of schizophrenia may be biochemical and so a drug treatment may be best
12. [1] a therapist is needed, which costs more and consumes more time than does swallowing a pill
13. [1] any appropriate conclusion drawn from the discussion that has been presented.