Delusional verbalizations and beliefs

Abstract

This study evaluated the intensity of delusional beliefs during the modification of delusional verbalizations with three chronically mentally ill inpatients. The multiple-baseline across responses design was used to evaluate the efficacy of a behavioral treatment package to modify delusional verbalizations. Results revealed that changes were obtained in delusional verbalizations to personal questions without corresponding changes in the subjects' delusional beliefs. Changes in delusional verbalizations were well-maintained for two subjects during a 6-month follow-up period. Mixed results were obtained for generalization probe interviews.

Psychosis.

“…Since and associates (Himadi, Osteen, & Crawford, 1993;Himadi, Osteen, Kaiser, & Daniel, 1991) reduced delusional verbalizations in chronic psychiatric patients with a combination of subtle prompts for competing behavior and consumable and social reinforcement. Through a different reinforcement process, consequent stimuli can operate as negative reinforcement when psychotic behavior prevents or terminates certain social stimuli.…”

“…and mold his or her actions to conform with his or her immediate surroundings (e.g., upon seeing a letter opener lying on a desk, asking, "Is this a spike you used to nail my beloved Jesus to the cross?"). Bizarre responses, most notably psychotic speech, will at times resist contingency management procedures (Wincze et al, 1972) & Liberman, 1981) or when training has ended (Himadi et al, 1991;Himadi et al, 1993). These results have been interpreted as showing that clients' underlying belief systems have remained intact despite behavioral training.…”

An inventory to measure knowledge of behavioral methods as applied to severe psychiatric impairments.

“…T h e technological application of the scientific principles of learning, com monly known as behavior modification or behavior therapy, has proven useful in the treatment of severe and persis tent psychiatric impairments (Bellack, 1986;Corrigan, 1995). Behavioral methods have been employed to reduce positive psychiatric symptoms, such as delusions (Fowler, Garety, & Kuipers, 1995;Himadi & Kaiser, 1992;Himadi, Osteen, & Crawford, 1993;Himadi, Osteen, Kaiser, & Daniel, 1991;Lowe & Chadwick, 1990) and hallucinations (Belcher, 1988;Himadi & Curran, 1995;Jimenez, Todman, Perez, Godoy, & Landon-Jimenez, 1996), as well as to W IN T E R 99-VOLUME 22 N U M BER 3 compensate for negative symptoms, such as poor social skills (Corrigan & Liberman, 1994;Lippman & Motta, 1993) or problem-solving skills (Bellack, Turner, Hersen, & Luber, 1984). They have proven effective in in dividual approaches (Jimenez, et al, 1996), family approaches (Anderson, Reiss, & Hogarty, 1986;Dixon & Lehman, 1995;Ward & Naster, 1991) and programmatic approaches (Paul & Lentz, 1977) as well as in outpatient set tings (Lippman & Motta, 1993) and in patient/residential settings (Corrigan & Liberman, 1994;Paul & Lentz, 1977).…”