The Effect of Applying Cognitive Defusion Techniques on Mindful Awareness, Cognitive Fusion and Believability of Delusions Among Clients With Schizophrenia: A Randomized Control Trial
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Alexandria University
- Enrollment
- 70
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- The Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-7 (CFQ-7)
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Schizophrenia causes hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, resulting in decreased functioning and lifelong therapy.Delusion believability is the degree of belief in the truth of one's subjective experiences as representations of reality. It was unpleasant, typically accompanied by a suspicious, strange tension. Delusional belief is seen as a means of resolving tension and conflict in cognition and experience. Previous studies have shown that cognitive defusion strategies help people become more aware of their surroundings, accept their thoughts and feelings, and become more psychologically adjustable. defusion is crucial in reducing medication-resistant psychotic symptoms such delusions in schizophrenia patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive defusion techniques on psychological flexibility, mindful awareness, cognitive fusion, and believability of delusions among clients with schizophrenia.
Research Hypothesizes
- Clients who participated in cognitive defusion techniques had more psychological flexibility and mindful awareness than the control group.
- Clients who participated in cognitive defusion techniques had less cognitive fusion and delusional believability than the control group.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Sex
- Male
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Male clients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the DSM-V
- •Diagnosed with schizophrenia With no comorbidity.
- •Able to communicate coherently and relevantly.
- •Able to read and write.
- •Willing to participate in the study
- •Duration of illness not exceeding 10 years.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Any client in an acute phase or have any neurological disorder that may affect cognitive function were excluded from a study.
Arms & Interventions
cognitive defusion interventional group
patients with schizophrenia who suffer from persistent delusions participated in cognitive defusion techniques on individual base through sex sessions twice weekly with homework assignments between sessions and skills demonstration by simulation and psychodrama.
Intervention: cognitive defusion techniques (Behavioral)
control group
patients with schizophrenia who suffer from persistent delusions participated in usual routine care in the hospital.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
The Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-7 (CFQ-7)
Time Frame: up to 14 weeks
It is designed to elicit one's level of cognitive fusion (example item: 'I find it easy to view my thoughts from a different perspective'.). Respondents rate each of 7 items on a 7- Likert scale ranging from 1 'Never true' to 7 'Always true'. Higher scores on the CFQ indicate greater cognitive fusion (total score range: 7-49, calculated as a sum of the responses). Studies demonstrate satisfactory reliability with a Cronbach's of 0.86.
The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQII)
Time Frame: up to 14 weeks
It is a seven-item self-reported scale developed to measure of psychological flexibility, with items targeted to several of the six key processes: defusion, acceptance, and committed action (example item: 'I worry about not being able to control my worries and feelings'.). Each item is followed by a seven-category response scale, started from never true (1), very seldom true (2), seldom true (3), sometimes true (4), frequently true (5), almost always true (6) to always true (7). Higher scores indicate greater psychological inflexibility (total score range: 7-49, calculated as the sum of the item responses). Previous research has reported a Cronbach's of 0.84.
Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire (SMQ)
Time Frame: up to 14 weeks
Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire is a 16-item scale that assesses the relationship one establishes with distressing thoughts and images (e.g., "I am able just to notice them without reacting"). Items are scored on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (0) to strongly agree (6). In the original study, the Cronbach's alpha obtained was 0.89.
Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS-D)
Time Frame: up to 14 weeks
It consists of 17 items divided into two subscales designed to rate auditory hallucinations and delusions. In this study, only the delusion subscale (PSYRATS-D) was used. The Delusion subscale measures various dimensions of delusion through 6 items divided into emotional characteristics (distress) and cognitive interpretation subscales. The first subscale is for cognitive interpretation (4 items) includes Amount of preoccupation with delusions, Duration of preoccupation with delusions, Conviction, and Disruption to life caused by beliefs. The second subscale is for emotional distress of delusions (2 items) Amount of Distress, and Intensity of Distress. The PSYRATS-AH was rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not endorsing the item) to 4 (fully endorsing the item). With a total score range from 0 to 24. The PSYRATS-D has been found to have high inter-rater reliability (0.99-1) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.70).
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
ayman el-ashry
lecturer of psychiatric nursing and mental health department
Alexandria University