Brief cognitive–behavioural therapy for patients in the community with schizophrenia: Randomised controlled trial in Beijing, China – RETRACTION

We, the Editors of the British Journal of Psychiatry, have retracted the following article: Guo et al, ‘Brief cognitive–behavioural therapy for patients in the community with schizophrenia: Randomised controlled trial in Beijing, China’, British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 210, Issue 3, March 2017, pp. 223–229 – Retracted.¹

In March 2017, concerns were raised by readers regarding the reporting of the results in the article. Following a detailed investigation by the senior editorial committee, a number of inconsistencies were identified between the published article and the associated clinical trial registration:

• The trial was registered retrospectively

• The published trial did not conform to the trial registry sample sizes, methods, inclusion criteria, and implementation of trial procedures.

• The primary outcomes reported in the paper did not match those listed in the registry entry.

• Positive comparisons were reported, whereas numerous negative comparisons of similar importance were not.

We therefore cannot with confidence rely on the findings of the article. All of the authors agree to the retraction.

We took advice from COPE, and have updated our policy regarding reporting of clinical trials. We discuss more fully the issues and our response to them in an accompanying editorial.²