Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T07:46:59.120Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Alternative to Generating Alternative Interpretations in Social Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2012

David L. Roberts*
Affiliation:
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
Petra Kleinlein
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
Bruce Stevens
Affiliation:
Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, USA
*
Reprint requests to David L. Roberts, University of Texas Health Science Center – Psychiatry, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7797 San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Background: Generating alternative interpretations is a widely used technique in cognitively-oriented treatments for psychosis, including social cognitive treatments. However, research on judgment and decision-making suggests that this technique may backfire among individuals with cognitive deficits. Aims: Mary/Eddie/Bill (MEB) was developed as an alternative approach to help improve Theory of Mind, attributional bias and Jumping to Conclusions in psychosis. An initial pilot trial was conducted to evaluate the tolerability and potential efficacy of MEB. Method: Twenty-four outpatients with psychotic disorders participated in an uncontrolled trial. Social cognition, social functioning, and participant feedback were assessed. Results: Treatment completers exhibited statistically significant improvements in Theory of Mind, social cognitive overconfidence and self-reported social engagement, and reported positive experiences with MEB. No improvements were observed in attributional bias. Conclusions: Given that there are risks associated with the use of traditional generating-alternatives techniques, the current findings support ongoing development of MEB and similar approaches.

Type
Brief Clinical Reports
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beck, J. S. (1995). Cognitive Therapy: basics and beyond, New York: The Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Garety, P. A. and Freeman, D. (1999). Cognitive approaches to delusions: a critical review of theories and evidence. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 113154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McDonald, S., Flanagan, S., Martin, I. and Saunders, C. (2004). The ecological validity of TASIT: a test of social perception. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 14, 285302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, D. L., Fiszdon, J. and Tek, C. (2011). Initial Validity of the Social Cognition Screening Questionnaire (SCSQ). Poster presentation at the 13th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, Colorado Springs, CO.Google Scholar
Roberts, D. L. and Penn, D. L. (2009). Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) for outpatients with schizophrenia: a preliminary study. Psychiatry Research, 166, 141147.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schwarz, N. (2005). When thinking feels difficult: meta-cognitive experiences in judgment and decision making. Medical Decision Making, 25, 105112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Roberts supplementary material

Roberts supplementary material

Download Roberts supplementary material(File)
File 188.9 KB
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.