A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 13 RCTs witha total of 975 participants with schizophrenia. The studies evaluated social skills programmes versus standard care or discussion group. There was evidence in favour of social skills programmes compared to standard care on all measures of social functioning. The rates of relapse and rehospitalisation were lower for social skills compared to standard care (relapse: RR 0.52, CI 0.34 to 0.79; 2 RCTs, n = 263), (rehospitalisation: RR 0.53, CI 0.30 to 0.93; 1 RCT, n = 143) and participants' mental state results (MD -4.01, CI -7.52 to -0.50; 1 RCT, n = 91) were better in the group receiving social skill programmes. Global state was measured in one trial by numbers not experiencing a clinical improvement, results favoured social skills (RR 0.29, CI 0.12 to 0.68; 1 RCT, n = 67). Quality of life was also improved in the social skills programme compared to standard care (MD -7.60 CI -12.18 to -3.02; 1 RCT, n = 112). However, when social skills programmes were compared to a discussion group control, there were no significant differences in the participants social functioning, relapse rates, mental state or quality of life.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (inadequate allocation concealment) and imprecise results (few studies for each comparison).
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