Abstract
There is currently limited research examining self-structure in clinical groups and no current data on the extent to which self-structure is amendable to change following psychological therapy. We address this important gap by examining self-structure in individuals with persecutory delusions using the card sort task, an established paradigm measuring key self-structure indices, including the degree to which self-structure is compartmentalised (characterised by primarily positive or negative attributes, as opposed to a mix of both), and the proportion and importance of negative attributes In study 1, individuals with a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis with current persecutory delusions (clinical group, n=27) and a healthy control group (n=47) were compared on self-structure indices. In study 2 (n = 27), the clinical group also completed the card sort task before and after randomisation to either a 12-week mindfulness-based psychological therapy or treatment as usual control.Self-structure differed significantly between the clinical and control groups. The clinical group had a greater proportion of negative attributes, assigned more importance to negative self-aspects and had more compartmentalised self-structures compared with controls. There were no associations between delusion severity and self-structure. Large effect sizes for reductions in compartmentalisation and proportion of negative attributes across self-aspects were found following mindfulness therapy. The findings highlight key differences in self-structure between individuals with persecutory delusions and healthy controls, and suggest that it might be possible to change self-structure following psychological therapy. These data support the central role of the self in theoretical models of paranoid thinking.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 132-140 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Behavior Therapy |
Volume | 54 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 5 Aug 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 5 Aug 2022 |
Keywords
- compartmentalisation; self-structure; self-concept; persecutory delusions; schizophrenia