Evolutionary Systems Therapy for Schizotypy

Tages Onlus28 enrolled

Overview

This study aims at replicating existing preliminary evidence about the effectiveness of Evolutionary Systems Therapy for Schizotypy (ESTS). The present randomized controlled trial (RCT) will compare ESTS with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in treating Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD). The main questions our RCT aims to answer are: 1. Is ESTS more effective than CBT in treating SPD? 2. Is ESTS more feasible than CBT in treating SPD? 38 patients diagnosed with SPD will be recruited and randomly allocated to either the experimental group (i.e. ESTS) or the control group (CBT). Primary outcome will be reduction in general symptomatology, whereas secondary outcomes will be changes in target mechanisms (self-criticism and metacognition) and remission from diagnosis.

A previous study suggested how ESTS (experimental group; EG) may be not inferior in respect to a combine treatment comprising of CBT and psychopharmacological treatment (control group; CG). Despite the encouraging results, it has been suggested that the presence in the CG of a mandatory pharmacological treatment would have represented a bias. Indeed, a few partecipants refused pharmacological treatment. Thus, the investigators outlined an RCT aimed at comparing the two interventions (ESTS and CBT) without any mandatory pharmacological treatment. Moreover, the investigators consider the need for a pharmacological treatment during the study as an exclusion criterion. The investigators expect to extend our knowledge about the feasbility and effectiveness of ESTS for those diagnosed with SPD:

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Interventions

Evolutionary Systems Therapy for SchizotypyBEHAVIORAL

A novel therapy for schizotypal traits integrating evolutionary psychopathology, compassion focused therapy, and metacognitively oriented psychotherapy.

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyBEHAVIORAL

An adaptation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for those diagnosed with personaloty disorders.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Schizotypal Personality Disorder at SCID-5-AMPD Module III * Age 18 or older * Being capable of reading and signing the inform consent form in Italian * Being capable of attending a talk therapy in Italian Exclusion Criteria: * Being diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders or other psychosis disorder * Being diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or neurological disorders * Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder * Being under any psychological or pharmacological treatment

Locations (1)

Centro di Psicologia e Psicoterapia Tages Onlus - Firenze

Florence, FI, Italy

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in general symptomatology

Change in the total score of Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) between two measurements

Time frame: 2 measurements: one at baseline assessment; one at final assessment

Secondary Outcomes

Change in metacognition

Change in total score of Metacognition Assessment Scale - Abbreviated (MAS-A) between two measurements