Paranoid Personality Disorder

Metacognition-Oriented Therapy

Treatment Summary: This case study focused on individual and later, family, therapy for paranoid personality disorder (PPD). The purpose of the therapy was to reduce or eliminate the paranoid thoughts and delusions in subjects with PPD. The therapy focused on promoting the awareness of the emotions that triggered these delusions and recognizing the social situation which caused these emotions to occur. The patient would then focus on becoming aware of how this situation and emotion would link to their negative thoughts and persecutory delusions of others. Individual therapy would also benefit the client by focusing on self-improvement and building the client's strength and self-esteem. During this particular study, the subject was involved in an extensive 8-month therapy treatment. The client was able to recognize what triggered her paranoia and delusions. She was also able to cease her constant need for perfection and criticism. This resulted in a smaller number of paranoid thoughts. When the thoughts did occur, the client was able to question the delusion, and regress to becoming aware of the situation and triggers, thus rationalizing that there was not a need for the delusion or thought to occur in the first place.

• Reference: Salvatore, G., Russo M., Russo R., Popolo, R., & Dimaggio, G. (2012). Metacognition-Oriented Therapy for Psychosis: The Case of a Woman with Delusional Disorder and Paranoid Personality Disorder. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 22(4), 314-329.
• Submitter: Brittany Hemenway