Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Delusions

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Schizophrenia, Delusional Disorder

In brief

Symptoms of schizophrenia have historically been treatment resistant despite advances in psychopharmacology. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown through some preliminary research to be effective with psychotic symptoms (Bach \& Hayes, 2002). ACT is considered part of the "third wave of CBT" along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT; Segal, Williams, \& Teasdale, 2001). The target of change in ACT is acceptance of symptoms as experiences that a person can have without experiencing distress, and while living a life in accordance with one's values. The current study assessed the effectiveness of ACT (8 sessions) for delusions. Participants received treatment as usual throughout the study. The intervention followed the protocol of ACT described in Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson (1999) in which treatment will consist of building acceptance, willingness, and commitment to change, clarifying values, defusion of thoughts and feelings, as well as defusion of self. These therapeutic aims attempted to be achieved by the practice of various exercises in and out of session as well as the discussion of various metaphors within session. It was hypothesized that participants will exhibit decreased distress due to delusions, decreased delusional conviction and a reduction of overall anxiety levels from participants' baselines.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00657631

Run by

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

People needed

4

Starts

2008-04-01

Expected to finish

2009-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2009-10-12

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients will be considered for inclusion in the study if they meet DSM IV diagnostic criteria for:
• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Schizophreniform Disorder
• Delusional Disorder
• Brief Psychotic Disorder
• Psychotic Disorder NOS with current delusions (assessed via chart review)

You may not qualify if…

• Exclusion criteria include a current diagnosis of Mental Retardation
• Organic psychosis
• An inability to participant due to an acute medical condition
• Substance abuse within the past month, a high level of disorganization
• An inability to speak English
• Lack the ability to give informed consent

Where it is running

• Weill Cornell Medical College Oupatient Treatment Program of New York Presbyterian Hospital — New York, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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