Exploring sense-making of psychosis in South Asian individuals
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the experience and sense-making of psychosis in a South Asian population: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis.
IRAS ID
275905
Contact name
Alastair Cardno
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 2 days
Research summary
Research Summary
This research study is aimed at enriching our knowledge of how individuals from different cultural backgrounds make sense of their experience of psychosis. There has been much debate about how we define and understand psychosis. Critical to this debate is that many psychiatric definitions are culture specific. Individuals from different cultural backgrounds can hold different interpretations of what is happening. It remains unclear whether a Western medical model translates to or is adopted across different ethnicities and cultures, or if alternative explanations are used.Individuals from Black and Asian minority ethnic (BAME) groups who have experienced psychosis have different experiences, pathways into care and typically have a longer duration of untreated psychosis. Some have speculated this could be due to differences in conceptualisation and sense-making of psychosis. However, there is limited literature exploring this in a South Asian population, despite this ethnic group being the second largest in the U.K.
Between 6 to 10 study participants who have experienced first episode psychosis and define themselves as belonging to a South Asian ethnic minority group will be recruited from a Bradford NHS site over 8 months.
Participants who agree to take part will participate in semi-structured qualitative interviews which will be the primary outcome measure for this study. Some basic demographic information will also be collected (e.g. age, ethnicity). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis will be used to analyse the interview transcripts.
The aim of the present study is to gain a better understanding of how those from a South Asian minority group have experienced and understood psychosis. The outcome of this study could help highlight culture specific and alternative conceptualisations and definitions of psychosis. This in turn has important implications for culturally sensitive engagement, intervention and prevention approaches.
Summary of Results
There is strong evidence of inequalities in mental healthcare access, experiences and outcomes for service users belonging to Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups experiencing psychosis. Clinicians and academics have speculated that culture-specific conceptualisations of psychosis, alongside inequitable service provision may explain disparities. There is, however, a dearth in literature exploring this in a South Asian population, despite this ethnic group being the second largest in the UK. The present study aimed to explore how people from this minority group have experienced and made sense of First Episode Psychosis (FEP).A qualitative approach was used to explore the lived experience and sense-making of British South Asians experiencing FEP and accessing early intervention services. Eight people were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three superordinate themes were identified in the group analysis: 1) Disconnection from self and others 2) Doubt and dispute 3) Power and shame. Participants characterised psychosis as a terrifying and uninvited intrusion and a fundamental shift in sense of self. Distinctive ethnic, cultural and systemic influence was strongly evident in how people conceptualised their experiences, how they managed their sense-making and where they sought support.
Experiences were discussed in the context of power and shame, and this research proposes that socio-cultural/political context and racialised discourses have an impact on self-concept, the experiences of help-seeking (formal and informal), and fundamentally how services help them. Implications of this study for practice, policy and research are discussed.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/YH/0153
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion