Cognitive Biases Questionnaire for psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: The Cognitive Biases Questionnaire for psychosis (CBQp) was developed to capture 5 cognitive distortions (jumping to conclusions, intentionalising, catastrophising, emotional reasoning, and dichotomous thinking), which are considered important for the pathogenesis of psychosis. Vignettes were adapted from the Cognitive Style Test (CST),(1) relating to "Anomalous Perceptions" and "Threatening Events" themes. METHOD: Scale structure, reliability, and validity were investigated in a psychosis group, and CBQp scores were compared with those of depressed and healthy control samples. RESULTS: The CBQp showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The 5 biases were not independent, with a 2-related factor scale providing the best fit. This structure suggests that the CBQp assesses a general thinking bias rather than distinct cognitive errors, while Anomalous Perception and Threatening Events theme scores can be used separately. Total CBQp scores showed good convergent validity with the CST, but individual biases were not related to existing tasks purporting to assess similar reasoning biases. Psychotic and depressed populations scored higher than healthy controls, and symptomatic psychosis patients scored higher than their nonsymptomatic counterparts, with modest relationships between CBQp scores and symptom severity once emotional disorders were partialled out. Anomalous Perception theme and Intentionalising bias scores showed some specificity to psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the CBQp has good psychometric properties, although it is likely that it measures a different construct to existing tasks, tentatively suggested to represent a bias of interpretation rather than reasoning, judgment or decision-making processes. It is a potentially useful tool in both research and clinical arenas.

The use of rescripting imagery for people with psychosis who hear voices.

BACKGROUND: Image rescripting can be helpful in reducing the distress associated with intrusive images or memories across a range of disorders. Existing studies using imagery rescripting with people with psychosis have not included people who hear voices. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the use of image rescripting with people with psychosis who have intrusive images or memories and hear voices. METHOD: This study used a one-off image rescripting session, using an A-B design with four participants with psychosis who were attending adult mental health community services. RESULTS: Clinically significant reductions in distress, negative affect and reduced conviction in the beliefs associated with the imagery were reported at 1-week follow-up and maintained for three of the four participants at 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The study offers early indications that image rescripting can be used as a treatment approach for people with psychosis. Exploring visual imagery and rescripting visual memories where appropriate may be a useful extension of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp).