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A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Compassion and Metacognition Approach for Schizotypal Personality Disorder with a Combination of Cognitive Therapy and Psychopharmacological Treatment
Cheli, Simone Cavalletti, Veronica Lysaker, Paul H. Dimaggio, Giancarlo Petrocchi, Nicola
Chiarello, Francesca Enzo, Consuelo Velicogna, Francesco Mancini, Francesco Goldzweig, Gil
Cheli, Simone
Cavalletti, Veronica
Lysaker, Paul H.
Dimaggio, Giancarlo
Chiarello, Francesca
Enzo, Consuelo
Velicogna, Francesco
Mancini, Francesco
Goldzweig, Gil
Abstract
Background
Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of maladaptive behavior that has been associated with the liability for schizophrenia. Little is known about effective psychosocial interventions. This pilot non-inferiority randomized controlled trial aimed to compare a novel form of psychotherapy tailored for this disorder and a combination of cognitive therapy and psychopharmacological treatment. The former treatment – namely, Evolutionary Systems Therapy for Schizotypy—integrated evolutionary, metacognitively oriented, and compassion focused approaches.
Methods
Thirty-three participants were assessed for eligibility, twenty-four randomized on a 1:1 ratio, nineteen included in the final analysis. The treatments lasted 6 months (24 sessions). The primary outcome was change across nine measurements in personality pathology, the secondary outcomes were remission from diagnosis and pre-post changes in general symptomatology and metacognition.
Results
Primary outcome suggested a non-inferiority of the experimental treatment in respect to control condition. Secondary outcomes reported mixed results. There was no significant difference in terms of remission, but experimental treatment showed a larger reduction of general symptomatology (η2 = 0.558) and a larger increase in metacognition (η2 = 0.734).
Conclusions
This pilot study reported promising results about the effectiveness of the proposed novel approach. A confirmatory trial on large sample size is needed to provide evidence about relative effectiveness of the two treatment conditions.
Description
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Compassion, Evolution, Evolutionary systems therapy for schizotypy, Metacognition, Schizotypal personality disorder, Schizotypy
Citation
Cheli, Simone, Veronica Cavalletti, Paul H. Lysaker, Giancarlo Dimaggio, Nicola Petrocchi, Francesca Chiarello, Consuelo Enzo, Francesco Velicogna, Francesco Mancini, and Gil Goldzweig. "A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Compassion and Metacognition Approach for Schizotypal Personality Disorder with a Combination of Cognitive Therapy and Psychopharmacological Treatment." BMC Psychiatry 23 (1): 113. 2023.