A bibliometric analysis of publications on delusions: revealing the current state of the field and future trends

Delusions are present in various mental disorders and psychological distress; the mechanisms underlying delusion formation are shared among these conditions to some extent. To elucidate the dynamic evolution of the delusion research field from its inception to the present, this study aims to delineate the current state of delusion research and identify future research frontiers. A comprehensive analysis of publications in the field of delusions using the bibliometric tool CiteSpace. The author collaboration network displays a radial layout centered on Freeman Daniel, surrounded by multiple collaborative clusters. The institutional collaboration network is relatively sparse but retains some structural organization, with institutions such as the University of London, University College London, Harvard University and Yale University holding significant influence in the field. The United States and the United Kingdom are the leading countries in academic output within the field, with two representative co-authored publications being highly cited. Keywords with guiding significance for future research include the following: 'mental health', 'anxiety', 'health', 'psychometric property', 'case report', 'paranoia', 'auditory verbal hallucinations' and 'validity'. Delusion research has evolved from sparse early 20th-century studies to a mature, diverse field, shifting from psychoanalysis to empirical, mechanistic approaches. In recent years, the research field has become more mature and specialized. Despite vibrant contributions, fragmented research networks and regional clustering highlight opportunities for interdisciplinary and international collaboration. Future directions include the rise of novel adjunctive intervention technologies, refined studies and interventions targeting cognitive mechanisms, integration of social and psychological factors, exploration of neural mechanisms, personalized and modular interventions, transdiagnostic research, integration of phenomenology and computational models, and rise of computational psychiatry.