FIRM-C 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing reality monitoring and cognitive insight in patients with clinical levels of dissociation and psychosis using self-report, behaviour, and functional magnetic resonance imaging
IRAS ID
350267
Contact name
Emma Černis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 8 days
Research summary
This study aims to compare clinical levels of dissociation and psychosis using cognition and neural activity in order to provide the basis for identifying differences in how the symptom groups work. To our knowledge, cognitive and neuroimaging approaches have not been used to compare these disorders or symptoms, despite theoretical and clinical confusion between them. Understanding differences and similarities between these experiences can help researchers develop better treatments and clinicians provide more accurate diagnoses.
The project looks at two cognitive processes: reality monitoring and cognitive insight. Reality monitoring is the ability to remember whether information in memories was generated by the individual or observed from the outside world. Cognitive insight is the awareness into the accuracy of one’s judgements. Research has indicated that psychosis is associated with impairments in both of these processes, but it is currently unclear whether dissociation has the same associations.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging is used to indicate the timing and location of correlates of brain activity during a task. These data allow us to ask if dissociation, psychosis, and non-clinical states all differ along the same dimension, or if they show unique patterns, which would have big implications for the theoretical relation between them. The functional “role” of brain regions and networks has been studied extensively, meaning the associations identified in this study can be combined with previous literature to connect any differences to potential mechanistic explanations.
Participants will be recruited from the NHS and general population if they have clinical levels of dissociation or psychosis. They will complete a reality monitoring and cognitive insight test with optional fMRI scanning, followed by a survey pack on their mental health and recent experiences. All testing will take place at the University of Birmingham.
This project is funded by the University of Birmingham.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0061
Date of REC Opinion
14 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion