Persecutory Delusions: Assessment, Theory and Treatment

by Daniel Freeman, Richard Bentall, Philippa Garety

Overview

Paranoia is the fear that others intend to cause you harm. It occurs most dramatically as delusions of persecution in conditions such as schizophrenia, but it is related to suspicious thoughts that occur in some 10-20% of the general population. Typical concerns might be that people are trying to harm you, saying bad things behind your back, deliberately irritating you, or conspiring against you. It is one of the most significant psychiatric problems, and increasingly, researchers and clinicians have begun to focus on understanding paranoid experience.

In this landmark publication, the three major authorities in the field bring together the current knowledge about the assessment, understanding, and treatment of persecutory delusions. Leading experts in cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, social psychiatry, neuroimaging, and neuroscience explain their perspectives on paranoia. Pharmacological, cognitive, and family interventions are comprehensively reviewed, and personal accounts of paranoia are included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199206315
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	09/15/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	450
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Daniel Freeman is a Wellcome Trust Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, and a consultant clinical psychologist in the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust. He publishes prolifically in the leading international journals, makes regular keynote addresses at international conferences, and is an Associate Editor of the British Journal of Clinical Psychology. He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University, specialising in experimental psychology, and has completed doctorates in psychology and clinical psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. He is the lead author of Overcoming Paranoid and Suspicious Thoughts, the first self-help book for people affected by suspicious thoughts, and has recently written a popular science book on paranoia, Paranoia: The 21st Century Fear Richard Bentall attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor as an undergraduate (1975-9) before taking a Ph.D. in experimental psychology at the same institution (awarded 1983). Moved to the University of Liverpool to obtain a qualification in clinical psychology (1984) before later achieving a part-time MA in philosophy applied to health care from University of Wales, Swansea (1989). Returned to Liverpool to work as a lecturer (1986) after a brief stint working for the National Health Service as a forensic clinical psychologist (1984-1986). Was appointed professor at Liverpool (1994) before moving to the University of Manchester (1999) and then returning to the University of Bangor (2007). Research interests include psychological processes involved in psychotic symptoms (e.g. hallucinations and delusions) and the psychological treatment of severe mental illness. Philippa Garety studied Philosophy and Psychology (Natural Sciences) at Cambridge University in the 1970s, then undertook clinical psychology training at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, followed by a PhD. Since then she has combined clinical practice in the NHS with research. Her main focus of research has been the investigation of cognitive processes in psychosis, particularly reasoning and affective processes in delusions, together with the development of psychological treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). She is interested in translating the findings of theoretical and empirical research into improvements in treatments and service provision. Her current post is as Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London and Head of Psychology for the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Table of Contents

1. A personal account, Peter ChadwickAssessment, Epidemiology and Prognosis2. The assessment of persecutory ideation, Daniel Freeman3. Epidemiology and social factors: findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS), Bart Rutten, Jim van Os, Mari Dominguez & Lydia Krabbendam4. Prognosis of persecutory delusions in schizophrenia: a 20-year longitudinal study, Martin Harrow, Thomas Jobe & Ellen Astrachan-Fletcher5. Violence and persecutory delusions, Jayne Taylor6. Persecutory delusions in the setting of delusional disorder, Alistair MunroTheory - Psychological Processes7. The puzzle of paranoia, Daniel Freeman, Philippa Garety & David Fowler8. The role of self-esteem in paranoid delusions: The psychology, neurophysiology and development of persecutory beliefs, Richard Bentall, Peter Kinderman & Michael Moutoussis9. Social cognition in paranoia, Dennis Combs & David Penn10. Persecutory delusions and theory of mind: long-standing debates and emerging issues, Rhiannon Corcoran & Suzanne Kaiser11. The cognitive neuropsychological understanding of persecutory delusions, Robyn Langdon, Ryan McKay & Max ColtheartTheory - Biological Processes12. Dopamine and persecutory delusions, Marc Laruelle13. The role of cannabis in inducing paranoia and psychosis, Cécile Henquet, Marta Di Forti, Robin Murray & Jim van Os14. Imaging and persecutory delusions, Matt Broome & Philip McGuireTreatment - Overviews15. Pharmacological treatment of persecutory delusions, Paul Bebbington, Steve Pilling & Craig Whittington16. The research evidence of the effectiveness of CBT for persecutory delusions, Philippa Garety, Richard Bentall & Daniel Freeman17. Family intervention in psychosis: working with persecutory delusions, Juliana Onwumere, Ben Smith & Elizabeth KuipersTreatment - Therapy Examples18. Coping with paranoia: a first person account developed during cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis, Karl Murphy & Ben Smith19. Cognitive therapy for suspiciousness and paranoia in individuals at high-risk of developing psychosis, Sophie Parker, Samantha Bowe & Anthony Morrison20. Cognitive behaviour therapy for persecutory delusions: three case studies, David Kingdon, Katie Ashcroft & Douglas Turkington21. Person-based cognitive therapy for paranoia: the challenges of Poor Me, Paul Chadwick & Peter Trower