Mindfulness for paranoid beliefs: evidence from two case studies

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Mindfulness Research

Background:

• Emerging evidence supports mindfulness for distressing psychosis.
• This study focuses on individuals with persecutory delusions but no auditory hallucinations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if mindfulness training reduces conviction, distress, preoccupation, and impact of paranoid beliefs.
• To assess the effect of mindfulness on anxiety and depression in this population.

Main Methods:

• Two case studies were conducted.
• Participants underwent mindfulness training.
• Measures of mindfulness, anxiety, depression, and paranoid belief dimensions were assessed at baseline, post-therapy, and 1-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Both participants showed reductions in conviction, distress, preoccupation, and impact of paranoid beliefs.
• Improvements in mindfulness of distressing thoughts and images were observed.
• These gains were maintained at the 1-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training appears to positively impact cognition and affect related to paranoid beliefs.
• Findings suggest relevance for both "Poor Me" and "Bad Me" paranoia subtypes.