Delusional disorder Health Article

Prognosis

Evidence collected to date indicates about 10% of cases will show some improvement of delusional symptoms though irrational beliefs may remain; 33–50% may show complete remission; and, in 30–40% of cases there will be persistent non-improving symptoms. The prognosis for clients with delusional disorder is largely related to the level of conviction regarding the delusions and the openness the person has for allowing information that contradicts the delusion.

Prevention

Little work has been done thus far regarding prevention of the disorder. Effective means of prevention have not been identified.

See also Dementia; Depression (with psychotic features); Paranoia; Paranoid personality disorder

BOOKS

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.4th edition, text revised. Washington, DC:American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Chadwick, Paul, Max Birchwood, and Peter Trower. Cognitive Therapy for Delusions, Voices and Paranoia.Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley and Sons, 1996.

Fuller, Matthew and M. Sajatovic. Drug Information for Mental Health.Hudson, Ohio: Lexi-comp, 2000.

PERIODICALS

Bentall, Richard P., Rhiannon Corcoran, Robert Howard, Nigel Blackwood, and Peter Kinderman. "Persecutory delusions: A review and theoretical integration." Clinical Psychology Review21, number 8 (2001): 1143–1193.

Garety, Philippa A. and Daniel Freeman. "Cognitive approaches to delusions: A critical review of theories and evidence." British Journal of Clinical Psychology38 (1999): 113–154.

Haddock, Gillian, Nicholas Tarrier, William Spaulding, Lawrence Yusupoff, Caroline Kinney and Eilis McCarthy. "Individual cognitive therapy in the treatment of hallucinations and delusions: A review." Clinical Psychology Review18, no. 7 (1998): 821– 838.

ORGANIZATIONS

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Colonial Place Three, 2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. Telephone: (703) 524-7600. NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). <http://www.nami.org>.

Deborah Rosch Eifert, Ph.D.