Symptoms of schizophrenia have historically been treatment resistant despite advances in psychopharmacology. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown through some preliminary research to be effective with psychotic symptoms (1,14) ACT is considered part of the "third wave of CBT" along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; 21) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT; 23). The target of change in ACT is acceptance of symptoms as experiences that a person can have without experiencing distress, and while living a life in accordance with one's values.

The current study will assess the effectiveness of ACT (8 sessions) for delusions. Participants will continue to receive treatment as usual throughout the study. The intervention will follow the protocol of ACT described in Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson (16) in which treatment will consist of building acceptance, willingness, and commitment to change, clarifying values, defusion of thoughts and feelings, as well as defusion of self. These therapeutic aims will be achieved by the practice of various exercises in and out of session as well as the discussion of various metaphors within session. It is hypothesized that participants will exhibit decreased distress due to delusions, decreased delusional conviction and a reduction of overall anxiety levels from participants' baselines.

Twelve patients will be recruited from New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College, Payne Whitney Clinic (Manhattan Campus), outpatient psychiatric program. Patients will be randomly assigned to a length of baseline before beginning the 8-week ACT treatment. There will be a five-week baseline period for all patients after which two patients will be introduced to ACT treatment in weekly increments so that the final two patients to enter treatment will have 10 weeks of baseline. All patients will receive treatment as usual throughout baseline and ACT treatment. During baseline, patients will be assessed by independent raters every week and during ACT treatment, patients will be assessed every other week and at a one-month follow-up. Each participant's assessment results will be compared over time, so that there will be an established baseline level of functioning which will be compared to his or her level of functioning during treatment, at the end of treatment, and finally at the one-month follow-up.If a subject decompensates during the course of the treatment and needs temporary hospitalization, he or she will be able to return to the research study upon discharge from the hospital, if he or she continues to meet inclusion and exclusion criteria, and has a capacity to consent. The capacity to consent will be reassessed by the PI asking the patient the major points of the study and the patient's psychiatrist also re-evaluating competency to consent. Also, if PI or subject's treating psychiatrist notices significant changes in patient's mental status, they can suggest and reassess patient's competency. The same assessment procedures will be used (see above).Hypotheses: This study will illustrate how patients' distress, anxiety and tension due to delusional thinking decreases over time when comparing baseline to treatment, treatment to outcome, and then outcome to follow-up. Additionally, the number of delusional thoughts and the rate of re-hospitalization will decrease over time.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be considered for inclusion in the study if they meet DSM IV diagnostic criteria for:

  • Schizophrenia
  • Schizoaffective disorder
  • Schizophreniform Disorder
  • Delusional Disorder
  • Brief Psychotic Disorder
  • Psychotic Disorder NOS with current delusions (assessed via chart review)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Exclusion criteria include a current diagnosis of Mental Retardation
• Organic psychosis
• An inability to participant due to an acute medical condition
• Substance abuse within the past month, a high level of disorganization
• An inability to speak English
• Lack the ability to give informed consent