Mentalizing and Interpersonal Functioning in People with Psychosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How does Mentalizing and Interpersonal Functioning relate to adverse life events and service engagement in people who experience psychosis?
IRAS ID
222947
Contact name
Caroline Reid
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
Many individuals who experience psychosis have difficulties grasping the thoughts, feelings, and intentions underlying their own and/or other people's behaviour, which can be described as problems with ‘mentalizing’. People who experience psychosis may find it difficult to relate to others and form/maintain relationships, which can be described as problems with ‘interpersonal functioning’. Taken together, mentalizing and interpersonal functioning can be understood as key psychological factors that underpin social skills. Previous research has shown that problems with interpersonal functioning predict hospital admissions and relapse in people with psychosis. This project aims to explore mentalizing and interpersonal functioning in this population. The research seeks to determine how adverse life events in childhood impact interpersonal functioning later in life. Furthermore, the study intends to examine how interpersonal functioning and symptom severity impacts on service engagement. The researchers intend to recruit at least 54 participants (who fulfill eligibility criteria) who live within the Grampian and Lanarkshire health board areas. Recruitment will take place through NHS services and third sector mental health social care services, in addition to poster advertisement which will allow for self-referral. Self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews will be used over one or more sessions to gather information about adverse life events, symptoms of psychosis, social functioning and engagement with services. The findings of this project may increase scientific knowledge and professionals’ understanding of psychosis. This could result in people with psychosis receiving more effective support from health and social care services, especially with regards to service engagement and interpersonal functioning outcomes.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
17/SS/0033
Date of REC Opinion
31 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion