Relations between changes in safety behavior, paranoid ideations, cognitive biases, and clinical characteristics of patients with a psychotic disorder over time.

Avoidance;maladaptive coping behavior Paranoia Psychosis Safety behavior Schizophrenia

Journal

Schizophrenia research
ISSN: 1573-2509
Titre abrégé: Schizophr Res
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 8804207

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
29 Aug 2024
Historique:
received: 19 05 2023
revised: 14 08 2024
accepted: 14 08 2024
medline: 31 8 2024
pubmed: 31 8 2024
entrez: 30 8 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Safety behaviors, both positive (maladaptive coping behavior) and negative (avoidance behavior), are used by people with paranoid delusions to avoid perceived threats. Safety behaviors contribute to the persistence of paranoid delusions by preventing disconfirmation of threat beliefs and may influence other psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how changes in safety behaviors are related to changes in paranoid ideation, social anxiety, depression, cognitive biases and self-esteem over time. This study included 116 patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (DSM-IV) and at least moderate levels of paranoid ideations (GTPS >40).The data were collected as part of a multi-center randomized controlled trial where patients were randomized to VR-CBT (n = 58) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 58). Assessments were completed at baseline (T0), after three months (T3) and after six months (T6). For all variables, change scores between T0 and T3 and T3 and T6 were calculated and Pearson correlations between change scores were computed. A decrease in total safety behavior was related to diminished paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and depression. No significant temporal associations were found between changes in safety behavior and changes in cognitive biases and self-esteem. Similar but less robust results were found for respectively negative safety behavior and positive safety behavior. Dropping safety behavior can be specifically targeted in behavioral interventions. Whereas there appears to be a relation with reduction in anxiety, paranoia, and depressive symptoms, changes in safety behavior do not seem to align with changes in cognitive thinking processes.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Safety behaviors, both positive (maladaptive coping behavior) and negative (avoidance behavior), are used by people with paranoid delusions to avoid perceived threats. Safety behaviors contribute to the persistence of paranoid delusions by preventing disconfirmation of threat beliefs and may influence other psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how changes in safety behaviors are related to changes in paranoid ideation, social anxiety, depression, cognitive biases and self-esteem over time.
METHODS METHODS
This study included 116 patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (DSM-IV) and at least moderate levels of paranoid ideations (GTPS >40).The data were collected as part of a multi-center randomized controlled trial where patients were randomized to VR-CBT (n = 58) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 58). Assessments were completed at baseline (T0), after three months (T3) and after six months (T6). For all variables, change scores between T0 and T3 and T3 and T6 were calculated and Pearson correlations between change scores were computed.
RESULTS RESULTS
A decrease in total safety behavior was related to diminished paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and depression. No significant temporal associations were found between changes in safety behavior and changes in cognitive biases and self-esteem. Similar but less robust results were found for respectively negative safety behavior and positive safety behavior.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Dropping safety behavior can be specifically targeted in behavioral interventions. Whereas there appears to be a relation with reduction in anxiety, paranoia, and depressive symptoms, changes in safety behavior do not seem to align with changes in cognitive thinking processes.

Identifiants

pubmed: 39214023
pii: S0920-9964(24)00375-X
doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.08.005
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

98-103

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in relation to the subject of the study.

Auteurs

M Berkhof (M)

University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.berkhof@umcg.nl.

E C D van der Stouwe (ECD)

University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

C N W Geraets (CNW)

University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

R M C A Pot-Kolder (RMCA)

Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, the Netherlands.

M van der Gaag (M)

Parnassia Psychiatry Institute, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, the Netherlands.

W Veling (W)

University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Classifications MeSH