Experiences of negative and positive imagery in early psychosis v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Responses to negative intrusive imagery and positive image generation in early psychosis
IRAS ID
125119
Contact name
Miriam Fornells-Ambrojo
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Research summary
This study aims to examine experiences of mental imagery in people who have had an episode of psychosis. Mental images have been implicated in the maintenance of a number of psychological disorders and as potential treatment targets, for example, in PTSD. However, there have been a limited number of studies which have investigated imagery in psychosis. This study will examine the content of distressing, intrusive imagery and individuals’ cognitive and behavioural responses to these negative images. It will also examine the ability to generate positive images of events which may happen in the future and individuals’ experiences of positive imagery in everyday life. Service users of Early Intervention in Psychosis services (EIP) in North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) will be recruited to participate in this cross-sectional, mixed methods study. Service users who have experienced an episode of non-organic psychosis, aged between 18-35 years will be eligible to participate.
An objective of this study is to explore the thematic content of negative intrusive imagery and the manner in which participants respond to these distressing images. It is hypothesised that distress and uncontrollability of the image will be related to the use of less helpful coping strategies such as avoidance. In relation to positive imagery generation, it is hypothesised that individuals with higher depression levels will generate less vivid prospective images which they predict as less likely to occur to them. The thematic content of positive imagery experienced in everyday life will be explored. Participants will meet with the researcher on one occasion. They will complete a number of standardized self-report and clinician rated symptom measures assessing positive symptoms of psychosis, voices, paranoia, depression, social anxiety and PTSD symptoms. A semi-structured interview exploring imagery will be conducted which will address the four research questions outlined above.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0877
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion