On the fixed nature of delusions
Nature Mental Health June 1, 2026 George E. Chapman, Philip R. Corlett, Stephen M. Fleming et al.
Fixed, false beliefs called delusions are a core feature of psychotic disorders, but why they remain fixed is not well understood. This review proposes a clearer vocabulary for describing delusion fixity—using the terms conviction, incorrigibility, persistence, and stability—and examines factors from diagnosis, psychopathology, psychodynamics, social context, cognition, metacognition, and cognitive neuroscience that may influence fixity. The authors present a working model of delusion fixity and call for interdisciplinary longitudinal studies to better understand it and to improve therapeutic strategies.