title: Persecutory delusions and psychological well-being.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Persecutory delusions are one of the key problems seen in psychotic conditions. The aim of the study was to assess for the first time the levels of psychological well-being specifically in patients with current persecutory delusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty patients with persecutory delusions in the context of a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis, and 346 non-clinical individuals, completed the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and symptom assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Well-being scores were much lower in the persecutory delusions group compared with the non-clinical control group. 47 % of the persecutory delusions group scored lower than two standard deviations below the control group mean score. Within the patient group, psychological well-being was negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and hallucinations. In both groups, lower levels of well-being were associated with more severe paranoia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of psychological well-being in patients with current persecutory delusions are strikingly low. This is likely to arise from the presence of affective symptoms and psychotic experiences. Measurement of treatment change in positive mental health for patients with psychosis is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis, University Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK, daniel.freeman@psych.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Startup
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wingham
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Černis
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lister
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pugh
authors.forename: Jacinta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cordwell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kingdon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors