The Effectiveness of Anxiety-Reduction Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques in Treating Paranoid Ideation and Persecutory Delusions in Two Patients with Paranoid Schizophrenia

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Abstract

Introduction: Paranoia and anxiety have cognitive similarities that have led to the development of a brief treatment for paranoia that is modeled on treatments for anxiety.
Method: Two patients with paranoid schizophrenia were selected non randomly. SCID, IS and Psychiatric diagnosis was applied. Participants were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 45 days follow up by using Insight Scale (IS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Daily Rating Paranoid Belief and Persecutory Delusion. A multiple based-across-subjects design was used. Data was inspected by figures.
Results: Results indicated reduction of paranoid ideations, persecutory delusions, anxiety, and depression by Patient "A", and in paranoid ideations and anxiety by Patient "B". In 45 days follow up assessment Patient "A" continued the reduction of paranoid ideations, persecutory delusions and anxiety.
Conclusion: Anxiety-reduction techniques in cognitive-behavioral therapy is affective in reduction of paranoid ideations, persecutory delusions and anxiety associated with them.

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