Depersonalization in Patients With Persecutory Delusions
Abstract
Delusions are, in part, attempts to explain confusing anomalous experience. Depersonalization, a key subset of anomalous experience, has been little studied in relation to persecutory delusions. The aims of this study were to assess the presence of depersonalization in patients with persecutory delusions and to examine associations with levels of paranoia and worry. Fifty patients with a current persecutory delusion completed measures of depersonalization, psychotic symptoms, and worry. Depersonalization experiences were common: 30 patients (60%) each reported at least 10 different depersonalization symptoms occurring often. A greater number of depersonalization experiences were associated with higher levels of paranoia and worry. The positive association of worry and paranoia became nonsignificant when controlling for depersonalization. Overall, depersonalization may be common in patients with persecutory delusions and is associated with the severity of paranoia. The results are consistent with the view that worry may cause depersonalization experiences that contribute to the occurrence of paranoid thoughts.
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Clinically significant levels of depersonalisation are common in individuals who have psychotic symptoms.
“Studies suggest that clinically significant levels of depersonalisation are common in individuals who have psychotic symptoms and are associated with increased impairment.”
From A brief CBT intervention for depersonalisation/derealisation in psychosis: Study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [28]
Published research with a similar sample suggests approximately 60% of individuals diagnosed with a current psychotic disorder will experience at least 10 depersonalisation symptoms often.
“Published research with a similar sample [28] suggests that approximately 94 % of individuals diagnosed with a current psychotic disorder will report at least one depersonalisation symptom, and 60 % will experience at least 10 depersonalisation symptoms often.”
From A brief CBT intervention for depersonalisation/derealisation in psychosis: Study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [28]
When depersonalisation is present in schizophrenia, it is associated with more severe psychotic symptoms.
“Similarly, studies examining depersonalisation symptoms in schizophrenia suggest that depersonalisation may be more common in those experiencing hallucinations, compared to those with delusions only, and when present are associated with more severe psychotic symptoms [26–28].”
From A brief CBT intervention for depersonalisation/derealisation in psychosis: Study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [28]
Published research with a similar sample suggests approximately 94% of individuals diagnosed with a current psychotic disorder will report at least one depersonalisation symptom.
“Published research with a similar sample [28] suggests that approximately 94 % of individuals diagnosed with a current psychotic disorder will report at least one depersonalisation symptom, and 60 % will experience at least 10 depersonalisation symptoms often.”
From A brief CBT intervention for depersonalisation/derealisation in psychosis: Study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [28]
Studies examining depersonalisation symptoms in schizophrenia suggest that depersonalisation may be more common in those experiencing hallucinations, compared to those with delusions only.
“Similarly, studies examining depersonalisation symptoms in schizophrenia suggest that depersonalisation may be more common in those experiencing hallucinations, compared to those with delusions only, and when present are associated with more severe psychotic symptoms [26–28].”
From A brief CBT intervention for depersonalisation/derealisation in psychosis: Study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [28]
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- Authors
- Černis, E., Dunn, G., Startup, H., Kingdon, D., Wingham, G., Pugh, K., Cordwell, J., Mander, H., & Freeman, D.
- Affiliations
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Warneford Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Černis, Emma
- Startup, Helen
- Pugh, Katherine
- Freeman, Daniel
- Venue
- Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
- Published
- 2014-10
- Volume
- 202
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 752-758
- ISSN
- 0022-3018 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2324329856
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 1.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Keywords
- depersonalization, persecutory delusions, paranoia, worry, anomalous experiences, psychotic symptoms, paranoid thinking, delusional disorder
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Delusions, Depersonalization, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Paranoid Disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Comorbidity, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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