title: Attributional style and theory of mind in people with Alzheimer disease and persecutory delusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Between 7% and 40% of people with Alzheimer disease (AD) experience persecutory delusions (PDs) during the course of their dementia. Although attributional style and theory of mind processes have been linked with PDs in people with psychosis, they have not yet been examined in those with AD and PDs. The objective of this study was, hence, to explore the role of these cognitive processes in groups of participants with AD with and without PDs, as well as a nonclinical comparison group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of attributional style and theory of mind were administered to three groups: people with AD and PDs (n = 22), people with AD without PDs (n = 22), and a nonclinical group (n = 23).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although no clear differences in attributional style between the three groups were found, the group with AD and PDs were found to perform worse on the first-order (but not second-order) theory of mind task than the other two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions designed to enhance theory of mind skills might be beneficial for individuals with AD and PDs.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology Unit, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rowse
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCarthy-Jones
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Rhiannon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Bentall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003702:Delusions / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012938:Social Perception; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Alzheimer disease; attribution; delusions; persecutory; theory of mind