MELBA - Meaning Exploration and Language Behind Anomalous experiences
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Unusual experiences and figurative language in early psychosis: a mixed methods investigation of delusions combining phenomenology and linguistics.
IRAS ID
317572
Contact name
Rosa Ritunnano
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham, Head of Research Governance and Integrity
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
This is an interview study investigating the lived experience of delusions in 10-12 patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP). Participants will complete a brief series of questionnaires, then they will be invited to recount their experience of the onset of delusions in the form of a story. Lastly, a more in-depth interview will be conducted to explore potential changes in the way in which people with delusions experience the sense of reality.
Delusions are a common symptom of psychosis. They are present in the vast majority (>90%) of FEP patients, and are often associated with distress, harm, and stigmatisation. The common characterisation of delusions as "false beliefs" has long gone unchallenged in mainstream psychiatry, leading to a stage of theoretical, conceptual and therapeutic stagnation. This has led to the neglect of valuable aspects of experience which could contribute to explaining why delusions are formed in the first place, and why they are maintained despite their harmful consequences. It has also led to the marginalisation of alternative narratives and ways of conceptualising delusions from the perspective of those with lived experience. As a consequence, there is now too large a gap between service-user views of their experiences and clinician-held views which can result in problems with engagement, service-users feeling unheard and misunderstood, and clinicians only having a partial or uni-dimensional understanding of the service-user’s experience.
The purpose of this research is to bridge this gap using an interdisciplinary approach, which allows to integrate first-person perspectives and clinical knowledge. The results will allow to develop a more robust and pluralistic psychological explanation of delusions. Based on what we learn from this and related studies, we will develop training material for clinicians that supports and empowers patients throughout their recovery journey and helps address stigmatisation in mental healthcare.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/NW/0375
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion