Is loneliness a feasible treatment target in psychosis?

M H Lim; D L Penn; N Thomas; J F M Gleeson

doi:10.1007/s00127-019-01731-9

Is loneliness a feasible treatment target in psychosis?

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2020 Jul;55(7):901-906. doi: 10.1007/s00127-019-01731-9. Epub 2019 May 24.

Authors

M H Lim^{1

2}, D L Penn^{3

4}, N Thomas⁵, J F M Gleeson⁴

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia. mlim@swin.edu.au.
² Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia. mlim@swin.edu.au.
³ Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
⁴ School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia.

PMID: 31127348
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-019-01731-9

Abstract

Purpose: Loneliness is a challenge for individuals with psychosis; however, interventions rarely target loneliness in this group.

Method: We developed a pilot positive psychology group intervention designed to reduce loneliness in psychosis and examined its feasibility and acceptability.

Results: Sixteen participants attended 5.38 (SD = 0.70) out of six sessions, with a dropout rate of 10%. Participants were significantly less lonely at post-treatment (p < 0.001, d = 1.51), and maintained their improvements from post-treatment to follow-up (p = 0.81, d = 0.07).

Conclusions: Loneliness may be a feasible and acceptable treatment target within psychosocial treatments.

Keywords: Loneliness; Positive psychotherapy intervention; Psychosis; Social anxiety.

Publication types

Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Loneliness / psychology*
Male
Pilot Projects
Psychotherapy / methods*
Psychotic Disorders / psychology
Psychotic Disorders / therapy*