The present paper describes cognitive approaches to the treatment of a major depressive episode in a patient with residual schizophrenia. The goal of therapy was to increase and stabilize the patientﾕs physical activity through decreasing dysfunctional cognition pertinent to inertia. A therapeutic strategy of ﾒscheduling activitiesﾓ was first selected, but to no effect. The vicious circle of alternating excessive activity and total inertia remained unchanged. Based on a revised cognitive case conceptualization, a second strategy, ﾒscheduling inertia,ﾓ was then introduced, in which the patient was asked to stay in bed or take a rest for planned periods of time every day. This intervention helped the patient to counteract her perfectionist beliefs. The results suggest that ﾒscheduling inertiaﾓ may be a useful strategy for improving inactivity in a major depressive episode during the residual phase of schizophrenia.

Key Words: cognitive therapy, depression, residual schizophrenia, scheduling activities, scheduling inertia

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