Psychological characteristics of religious delusions

Robel Iyassu; Suzanne Jolley; Paul Bebbington; Graham Dunn; Richard Emsley; Daniel Freeman; David Fowler; Amy Hardy; Helen Waller; Elizabeth Kuipers; Philippa Garety

doi:10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y

Psychological characteristics of religious delusions

Robel Iyassu, Suzanne Jolley^*, Paul Bebbington, Graham Dunn, Richard Emsley, Daniel Freeman, David Fowler, Amy Hardy, Helen Waller, Elizabeth Kuipers, Philippa Garety

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose
Religious delusions are common and are considered to be particularly difficult to treat. In this study we investigated what psychological processes may underlie the reported treatment resistance. In particular, we focused on the perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioural mechanisms held to maintain delusions in cognitive models of psychosis, as these form the key treatment targets in cognitive behavioural therapy. We compared religious delusions to delusions with other content.

Methods
Comprehensive measures of symptoms and psychological processes were completed by 383 adult participants with delusions and a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis, drawn from two large studies of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.

Results
Binary logistic regression showed that religious delusions were associated with higher levels of grandiosity (OR 7.5; 95 % CI 3.9-14.1), passivity experiences, having internal evidence for their delusion (anomalous experiences or mood states), and being willing to consider alternatives to their delusion (95 % CI for ORs 1.1-8.6). Levels of negative symptoms were lower. No differences were found in delusional conviction, insight or attitudes towards treatment.

Conclusions
Levels of positive symptoms, particularly anomalous experiences and grandiosity, were high, and may contribute to symptom persistence. However, contrary to previous reports, we found no evidence that people with religious delusions would be less likely to engage in any form of help. Higher levels of flexibility may make them particularly amenable to cognitive behavioural approaches, but particular care should be taken to preserve self-esteem and valued aspects of beliefs and experiences.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1051-1061
Number of pages	11
Journal	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume	49
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y
Publication status	Published - Jul 2014

Keywords

Psychosis
Schizophrenia
CBT
Cognitive model
PSYCHOSIS
SCHIZOPHRENIA
ILLNESS
HALLUCINATIONS
EXPERIENCES
PREVALENCE
CONVICTION
THERAPY
PEOPLE
BIASES

Access to Document

10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y

Cite this

@article{eef09e4765f742aeb5a3d8a93cf64789,

title = "Psychological characteristics of religious delusions",

abstract = "PurposeReligious delusions are common and are considered to be particularly difficult to treat. In this study we investigated what psychological processes may underlie the reported treatment resistance. In particular, we focused on the perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioural mechanisms held to maintain delusions in cognitive models of psychosis, as these form the key treatment targets in cognitive behavioural therapy. We compared religious delusions to delusions with other content.MethodsComprehensive measures of symptoms and psychological processes were completed by 383 adult participants with delusions and a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis, drawn from two large studies of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.ResultsBinary logistic regression showed that religious delusions were associated with higher levels of grandiosity (OR 7.5; 95 % CI 3.9-14.1), passivity experiences, having internal evidence for their delusion (anomalous experiences or mood states), and being willing to consider alternatives to their delusion (95 % CI for ORs 1.1-8.6). Levels of negative symptoms were lower. No differences were found in delusional conviction, insight or attitudes towards treatment.ConclusionsLevels of positive symptoms, particularly anomalous experiences and grandiosity, were high, and may contribute to symptom persistence. However, contrary to previous reports, we found no evidence that people with religious delusions would be less likely to engage in any form of help. Higher levels of flexibility may make them particularly amenable to cognitive behavioural approaches, but particular care should be taken to preserve self-esteem and valued aspects of beliefs and experiences.",

keywords = "Psychosis, Schizophrenia, CBT, Cognitive model, PSYCHOSIS, SCHIZOPHRENIA, ILLNESS, HALLUCINATIONS, EXPERIENCES, PREVALENCE, CONVICTION, THERAPY, PEOPLE, BIASES",

author = "Robel Iyassu and Suzanne Jolley and Paul Bebbington and Graham Dunn and Richard Emsley and Daniel Freeman and David Fowler and Amy Hardy and Helen Waller and Elizabeth Kuipers and Philippa Garety",

year = "2014",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y",

language = "English",

volume = "49",

pages = "1051--1061",

journal = "Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology",

issn = "0933-7954",

publisher = "Science House",

number = "7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological characteristics of religious delusions

AU - Iyassu, Robel

AU - Jolley, Suzanne

AU - Bebbington, Paul

AU - Dunn, Graham

AU - Emsley, Richard

AU - Freeman, Daniel

AU - Fowler, David

AU - Hardy, Amy

AU - Waller, Helen

AU - Kuipers, Elizabeth

AU - Garety, Philippa

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - PurposeReligious delusions are common and are considered to be particularly difficult to treat. In this study we investigated what psychological processes may underlie the reported treatment resistance. In particular, we focused on the perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioural mechanisms held to maintain delusions in cognitive models of psychosis, as these form the key treatment targets in cognitive behavioural therapy. We compared religious delusions to delusions with other content.MethodsComprehensive measures of symptoms and psychological processes were completed by 383 adult participants with delusions and a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis, drawn from two large studies of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.ResultsBinary logistic regression showed that religious delusions were associated with higher levels of grandiosity (OR 7.5; 95 % CI 3.9-14.1), passivity experiences, having internal evidence for their delusion (anomalous experiences or mood states), and being willing to consider alternatives to their delusion (95 % CI for ORs 1.1-8.6). Levels of negative symptoms were lower. No differences were found in delusional conviction, insight or attitudes towards treatment.ConclusionsLevels of positive symptoms, particularly anomalous experiences and grandiosity, were high, and may contribute to symptom persistence. However, contrary to previous reports, we found no evidence that people with religious delusions would be less likely to engage in any form of help. Higher levels of flexibility may make them particularly amenable to cognitive behavioural approaches, but particular care should be taken to preserve self-esteem and valued aspects of beliefs and experiences.

AB - PurposeReligious delusions are common and are considered to be particularly difficult to treat. In this study we investigated what psychological processes may underlie the reported treatment resistance. In particular, we focused on the perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioural mechanisms held to maintain delusions in cognitive models of psychosis, as these form the key treatment targets in cognitive behavioural therapy. We compared religious delusions to delusions with other content.MethodsComprehensive measures of symptoms and psychological processes were completed by 383 adult participants with delusions and a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis, drawn from two large studies of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.ResultsBinary logistic regression showed that religious delusions were associated with higher levels of grandiosity (OR 7.5; 95 % CI 3.9-14.1), passivity experiences, having internal evidence for their delusion (anomalous experiences or mood states), and being willing to consider alternatives to their delusion (95 % CI for ORs 1.1-8.6). Levels of negative symptoms were lower. No differences were found in delusional conviction, insight or attitudes towards treatment.ConclusionsLevels of positive symptoms, particularly anomalous experiences and grandiosity, were high, and may contribute to symptom persistence. However, contrary to previous reports, we found no evidence that people with religious delusions would be less likely to engage in any form of help. Higher levels of flexibility may make them particularly amenable to cognitive behavioural approaches, but particular care should be taken to preserve self-esteem and valued aspects of beliefs and experiences.

KW - Psychosis

KW - Schizophrenia

KW - CBT

KW - Cognitive model

KW - PSYCHOSIS

KW - SCHIZOPHRENIA

KW - ILLNESS

KW - HALLUCINATIONS

KW - EXPERIENCES

KW - PREVALENCE

KW - CONVICTION

KW - THERAPY

KW - PEOPLE

KW - BIASES

U2 - 10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y

DO - 10.1007/s00127-013-0811-y

M3 - Article

SN - 0933-7954

VL - 49

SP - 1051

EP - 1061

JO - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

JF - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

IS - 7

ER -

Psychological characteristics of religious delusions

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this