The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate a Japanese version of brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and contribute to primary care which leads to prevention of a lifestyle-related disease or a psychiatric disorder.

A single-arm study in nine patients with chronic insomnia who were under the pharmacotherapy was executed. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and the European Quality of Life 5 Items (EQ-5D) were assessed at the beginning of intervention, at the end of intervention, and after 12 weeks.

There were no patient dropouts nor adverse events. The average change in ISI score was −7.33 (95% CI: −10.31 to −4.36) at post-treatment and −6.11 (95% CI: −8.20 to −4.03) at the 12-week follow-up point (Cohen’s d = 2.25). The AIS score improved as well, and the EQ-5D score improved after 12 weeks. The safety and efficacy of the brief CBT-I were suggested.

Auditory hallucination is one of the most common symptoms in schizophrenia. The frequency of the auditory hallucinations and ensuing distress make the individual believe that these voices are not able to be controlled and to be coped with.

Testing the effectiveness of brief cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) for auditory hallucinations, using it in modifying the beliefs about the voices and improving symptom severity and overall functioning.

Forty participants with schizophrenia were randomized into intervention and control groups. Intervention group were 20 patients who received 8 individual sessions of CBTp plus Treatment As Usual (TAU) over 8 weeks and the control group were the other 20 patients who received TAU only. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Arabic version of Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and the General Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study.

Intervention group showed a statistically significant increase in GAF (P = 0.012), a statistically significant reduction regarding the Positive (P < 0.001), Negative (P = 0.008), General (P < 00.001) and total (P ≤ 00.001) sub-scales of PANSS. Regarding BAVQ, Intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction in Malevolence (P = 0.008), Engagement (P = 0.001); and showed a statistically significant increase in Resistance (P = 0.049) compared to control.

Brief cognitive behavioral therapy for auditory hallucinations can improve severity of schizophrenia, increase the level of functioning and improve the beliefs about the voices.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.