The Positive Emotions Programme for Schizophrenia (PEPS) is a group programme designed to reduce anhedonia and apathy by increasing cognitive control of positive emotions. The programme consists of eight one-hour sessions, administered using multimedia material (visual and audio) presented in the form of PowerPoint files projected onto a screen. Groups are made up of 5 to 10 participants. Each session begins with a welcome and a relaxation or meditation exercise. In the second session, the facilitators review the home task that was prescribed at the end of the previous session. The session continues with a challenge to a defeatist belief, followed by the learning of a skill to improve the anticipation, maintenance, increase or re-actualisation of positive emotions. The session ends with the prescription of a task for the following session. The skills taught are: savouring the pleasant experience, expressing emotions behaviourally, capitalising on positive moments and anticipating pleasant moments.
To find out more
Nguyen A, Frobert L, McCluskey I, Golay P, Bonsack C, Favrod J: Development of the Positive Emotions Program for Schizophrenia: An Intervention to Improve Pleasure and Motivation in Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2016;7:13.
Favrod J, Nguyen A, Fankhauser C, Ismailaj A, Hasler JD, Ringuet A, Rexhaj S, Bonsack C: Positive Emotions Program for Schizophrenia (PEPS): a pilot intervention to reduce anhedonia and apathy. BMC Psychiatry 2015;15:231.
Favrod J, Nguyen A, Chaix J, Pellet J, Frobert L, Fankhauser C, Ismailaj A, Brana A, Tamic G, Suter C, Rexhaj S, Golay P, Bonsack C: Improving Pleasure and Motivation in Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2019:1-12.
