title: Characteristics of memories of delusion-like experiences within the psychosis continuum: Pilot studies providing new insight on the relationship between self and delusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Delusions are usually anchored in past events associated with abnormal experiences or delusional interpretations of personal events. The characteristics of the memory of these experiences may contribute to maintain delusional beliefs by providing confirmatory evidence for the delusions. However, these aspects have not been investigated properly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with schizophrenia were examined in study 1 during a face-to-face interview. The second study used a web-based design and included 83 participants without a psychotic disorder. Participants were asked to rate the vividness, emotional intensity and valence, and the centrality to the self of memories of delusion-like experiences (that were cued by means of the Peters et al. Delusional Inventory, PDI; Peters, Joseph, Day, & Garety, 2004) and positive and negative memories used as comparators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both studies, the memories of delusion-like experiences were less vivid, less emotionally intense than positive (but not negative) memories and emotionally neutral. Their centrality to the self did not differ from that of positive and negative memories. Moreover, the severity of delusions in study 1 and delusion-proneness in study 2 were significantly correlated with vividness, emotional intensity, and centrality of memories of delusion-like experiences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accuracy of memories of delusion-like experiences could not be checked making it difficult to distinguish them from delusional memories. The sample size was small in study 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results point to reciprocal relationships between delusions, self, and autobiographical memories of delusion-like experiences that are similar within the psychosis continuum and that may be involved in the maintenance of delusions.
authors.affiliation: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Strasbourg Cedex, France; INSERM U-1114, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Clinique Psychiatrique, Strasbourg Cedex, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Médecine, 4 rue Kirchleger, Strasbourg, France; FMTS, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, France. Electronic address: fabrice.berna@chru-strasbourg.fr.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berna
authors.affiliation: INTERPSY (EA 4432), Université de Lorraine, 23 Boulevard Albert 1er, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Evrard
authors.affiliation: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Strasbourg Cedex, France; INSERM U-1114, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Clinique Psychiatrique, Strasbourg Cedex, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Médecine, 4 rue Kirchleger, Strasbourg, France; FMTS, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coutelle
authors.affiliation: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Strasbourg Cedex, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Médecine, 4 rue Kirchleger, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: PôleHospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, F-54520, France; EA 7298, INGRES, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, F-54000, France; CHRU Nancy, Maison des Addictions, Nancy, F-54000, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laprévote
authors.affiliation: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Strasbourg Cedex, France; INSERM U-1114, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Clinique Psychiatrique, Strasbourg Cedex, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Médecine, 4 rue Kirchleger, Strasbourg, France; FMTS, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Danion
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003702:Delusions / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autobiographical memory; Cognitive bias; Delusions; Psychosis continuum; Web-based studies