The self, attributional processes and abnormal beliefs: towards a model of persecutory delusions.
In this paper we review a series of recent investigations into cognitive abnormalities associated with persecutory delusions. Studies indicate that persecutory delusions are associated with abnormal attention to threat-related stimuli, an explanatory bias towards attributing negative outcomes to external causes and biases in information processing relating to the self-concept. We propose an integrative model to account for these findings in which it is hypothesized that, in deluded patients, activation of self/ideal discrepancies by threat-related information triggers defensive explanatory biases, which have the function of reducing the self/ideal discrepancies but result in persecutory ideation. We conclude by discussing the implications of this model for the cognitive-behavioural treatment of paranoid delusions.
Bentall
R P
RP
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, England.
Kinderman
P
P
Kaney
S
S
D001288:Attention; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception