Heriot‐Maitland C, Gumley A, Wykes T, Longden E, Irons C, Gilbert P, Peters E. A case series study of compassion-focused therapy for distressing experiences in psychosis.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023;
62:762-781. [PMID:
37635319 PMCID:
PMC10946731 DOI:
10.1111/bjc.12437]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is an evolution-informed biopsychosocial approach that seeks to cultivate attachment and care motivational systems and their psychophysiological regulators. These can counteract some of the harmful effects of social threat, inferiority, shame, self-criticism and depression, which are common in people with psychosis and undermine their well-being, social trust and ability to feel safe. This study aimed to test the acceptability of a novel manualized individual CFT intervention for psychosis (CFTp).
DESIGN
A non-concurrent, multiple-baseline, case series design, with three phases: baseline, intervention and follow-up.
METHODS
The 26-session CFTp intervention was provided for a sample of eight people with distressing psychotic experiences and a psychosis-related diagnosis. The study aimed to assess acceptability of CFTp and to test clinically reliable improvements while receiving the intervention, compared to a baseline period.
RESULTS
Seven of eight participants completed the therapy, and clinically reliable improvements were found at both the single-case and group level of analysis. At the single-case level, over half the participants showed improvements in depression (5/7), stress (5/7), distress (5/7), anxiety (4/7) and voices (3/5). One participant showed a deterioration in anxiety (1/7) and dissociation (1/7). At the group level (n = 7), there were significant improvements in depression, stress, distress, voices and delusions. The improvements in voices, delusions and distress were sustained at 6- to 8-week follow-up, but depression and stress dropped slightly to trend-level improvements.
CONCLUSIONS
CFTp is a feasible and acceptable intervention for psychosis, and further investigation is warranted with a randomized controlled trial.
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