The study aimed to investigate why patients suffering from chronicschizophrenia discontinue psychological therapy. Patients who dropped out ofa randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behaviour therapy and supportivecounselling in the treatment of persistent positive psychotic symptoms wereasked to complete a questionnaire on their reasons for doing so. Nine out of12 patients who dropped out completed the questionnaire which consisted of22 items that could be rated true or false. Although the size of the samplewas small, the response rate was acceptable at 75%. The median number ofreasons given was 7 (range 3 to 12), with the most common reason being thattherapy was not perceived as suitable for the individual’s particularproblems. The characteristics of the patients who dropped out are described.