Psychiatry and related mental health fields, in particular psychotherapy, have a long history of ... more Psychiatry and related mental health fields, in particular psychotherapy, have a long history of close ties with the humanities. That bond has weakened, however, over the last few decades as medicalized views of mental health and treatment have emerged. In this paper, we explore the potential of the reintroduction of the humanities, specifically novels and related literary genre, into the supervision of student clinicians working with clients who have psychosis. We believe that incorporation of novels and related literary genre into supervision can lead to unique and deepened understanding of the experience of psychosis, and can create an opportunity for a working therapeutic alliance. The potential mechanisms that create these unique opportunities to understand psychopathology are explored, and considerations for the implications for treatment, training, and future research are presented.
Both childhood trauma and dissociation are associated with schizophrenia. More rudimentary form o... more Both childhood trauma and dissociation are associated with schizophrenia. More rudimentary form of dissociation known already from Eugen Bleuler as splitting of association is theoretically close to the modern concept of synthetic metacognition in schizophrenia. The synthetic metacognition as a psychological process is described as a capability to synthesize intentions, thoughts, feelings, and connections between events, and to integrate them into larger complex representations of self and others. Disturbed synthetic metacognition was found in early as well as in late forms of schizophrenia and has its typical formula. Deficit of synthetic metacognition is related to symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosocial functions. Synthetic metacognition is measurable by analyzing discourse using standardized procedures. The level of metacognition is assessed from the sample of narrative on the basis of the Metacognitive Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A). Psychotherapies focused on strengthening of metacognitive functions concentrate on integration of fragmented mental content or on promoting of formation of stable mental representations in this disorder.
Self-stigma is the internalization of negative societal stereotypes about those with mental illne... more Self-stigma is the internalization of negative societal stereotypes about those with mental illnesses. While self-stigma has been carefully characterized in severe mental disorders, like schizophrenia, the field has yet to examine the prevalence and correlates of self-stigma in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thus, we assessed self-stigma in veterans diagnosed with PTSD and compared with veterans with schizophrenia. We further examined associations between PTSD, depressive symptoms and self-stigma in the PTSD sample. Data came from two larger studies of people with PTSD (n = 46) and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 82). All participants completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMIS). Results revealed that people with schizophrenia report more experiences of discrimination as a result of stigma than do those with PTSD, but these diagnostic groups did not differ for other subscales. In the PTSD group, feelings of alienation positively correlated with PTS...
Handbook of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Volume II, 2011
Research has confirmed that many with schizophrenia experience deficits in metacognitive capacity... more Research has confirmed that many with schizophrenia experience deficits in metacognitive capacity defined as impairments in the ability to think about thinking, both with regards to their own thinking and the thinking of others. These difficulties are related to but not ...
Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern yo... more Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.
Many patients with substance abuse problems present with co-occurrent cluster C personality disor... more Many patients with substance abuse problems present with co-occurrent cluster C personality disorders. Focusing on both disorders disrupts the maintenance mechanisms and the vicious cycle between the 2 conditions; however, treatment teams often neglect this issue. In this work, we describe the features of metacognitive interpersonal therapy as applied to a man with avoidant and depressive personality disorders and heroin, cocaine, and alcohol abuse. Psychotherapy proceeded through the following steps: (a) conducting drug therapy to deal with symptoms of abstinence from heroin; (b) forming a therapeutic bond to overcome the patient's severe emotional withdrawal; (c) fostering basic metacognitive capacities such as awareness of emotions and their triggers; (d) sharing formulations of maladaptive interpersonal schemas and descriptions of the associated states of mind; (e) conveying an understanding of the link between interpersonal events (recent ones and traumatic memories) and su...
Deficits in metacognitive capacity in schizophrenia can be conceptualized as existing along a spe... more Deficits in metacognitive capacity in schizophrenia can be conceptualized as existing along a spectrum from more discrete to more synthetic activities. These capacities may be of great importance in schizophrenia research given their potential to mediate and moderate the impact of illness-related factors on outcome. To explore this possibility this review summarizes research on synthetic metacognition using a paradigm in which metacognitive capacity is rated on the basis of spontaneously produced personal narratives. Evidence from a review of the literature shows that these deficits are detectable in patients with schizophrenia and are related to, but not reducible to, symptom severity and poorer neurocognitive function. Independent of symptoms and neurocognition, deficits in synthetic metacognition, which are likely linked to the brain’s ability to integrate information, are related to a range of outcomes including functional competence, learning potential, and insight. These defic...
Il est etabli par la recherche que de nombreuses personnes atteintes de schizophrenie presentent ... more Il est etabli par la recherche que de nombreuses personnes atteintes de schizophrenie presentent un deficit de leurs capacites metacognitives, c’est-a-dire une alteration de leur aptitude a developper une pensee sur leur propre pensee ou sur celle d’autrui. Ces difficultes ont des liens avec les symptomes, mais ne leur sont pas reductibles. Une question pour la recherche contemporaine est de preciser les rapports entre ces deficits et les autres types de deficits cognitifs, ainsi que l’impact de ces differents deficits – cognitifs et metacognitifs – sur les capacites fonctionnelles. Alors que la cognition se degrade pendant la premiere phase de la schizophrenie, la capacite de developper une pensee sur ses propres pensees est-elle parallelement alteree ? En outre, meme s’ils sont lies a des deficits cognitifs, les deficits metacognitifs ont-ils un impact sur le fonctionnement independamment des deficits cognitifs ? Les fonctions metacognitives sont-elles mediatrices de l’impact des deficits cognitifs sur le fonctionnement quotidien ? Pour explorer ces hypotheses, cet article passe en revue des etudes recentes qui ont fait progresser notre comprehension de ces questions, portant sur la metacognition telle qu’elle se manifeste spontanement dans les recits autobiographiques d’adultes presentant des troubles du registre de la schizophrenie. Nous presenterons des resultats montrant que des deficits de la memoire verbale et des fonctions executives peuvent interferer avec la capacite d’elaborer et de garder present a l’esprit une representation de ses propres etats internes aussi bien que de ceux d’autrui. Nous evoquerons ensuite des resultats suggerant que les deficits metacognitifs ont un impact sur l’evolution des capacites fonctionnelles et conditionnent l’impact des deficits cognitifs sur le fonctionnement.
Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie, Psychologie und Psychotherapie, 2013
Die Gruppe der Schizophrenien umfasst heterogene psychopathologische Syndrome, die oft mit neurok... more Die Gruppe der Schizophrenien umfasst heterogene psychopathologische Syndrome, die oft mit neurokognitiven Störungen und niedrigem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau assoziiert sind. Empirische Studien legen nahe, dass viele mit Schizophrenie assoziierte Symptome auf Störungen der sozialen Kognition bzw. metakognitive Störungen zurückgeführt werden können. Diese Konzepte beziehen sich auf die Fähigkeit, soziale Signale wahrnehmen und interpretieren, eigene und psychische Zustände Anderer reflektieren und dieses Wissen flexibel in sozialen Interaktionen und zur Problemlösung einsetzen zu können. Der vorliegende Artikel gibt eine Übersicht über sozial-kognitive und metakognitive Defizite bei Schizophrenien und wie über das Training dieser Kernkompetenzen das psychosoziale Funktionsniveau von Patienten mit Schizophrenie verbessert werden kann. Bei Schizophrenien sind soziale Kognition und Metakognition eng mit dem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau verbunden, zum Teil jedoch auch abhängig von ...
Although the role and relative prominence of psychotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia has ... more Although the role and relative prominence of psychotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia has fluctuated over time, an analysis of the history of psychotherapy for schizophrenia, focusing on findings from the recovery movement, reveals recent trends including the emergence of the development of integrative psychotherapy approaches. The authors suggest that the recovery movement has revealed limitations in traditional approaches to psychotherapy, and has provided opportunities for integrative approaches to emerge as a mechanism for promoting recovery in persons with schizophrenia. Five approaches to integrative psychotherapy for persons with schizophrenia are presented, and a shared conceptual framework that allows these five approaches to be compatible with one another is proposed. The conceptual framework is consistent with theories of recovery and emphasizes interpersonal attachment, personal narrative, and metacognitive processes. Implications for future research on integrative psychotherapy are considered.
Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 2010
Impairments in metacognition are believed to be closely linked with functional impairments among ... more Impairments in metacognition are believed to be closely linked with functional impairments among persons with schizophrenia. Recently, we proposed a method for assessing multiple domains of metacognition by rating a narrative generated by a semi-structured interview with an abbreviated form of the Metacognition Assessment Scale (MAS). Less is known about how this measure is linked to social cognition. The current study sought to compare, in a cross-sectional design, assessments of metacognition using the MAS and social cognition measured using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS). Participants were 37 adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who completed an assessment battery that included the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and the procedures needed to derive the MAS and SCORS indices. Univariate correlations and multiple regressions revealed that mastery, a domain of metacognition measuring thinking about oneself and coping with psychological challenges, was linked to SCORS indices which assess awareness of interpersonal relationships as the result of complex psychological forces and the recognition that relationships involve people with independent needs. This relationship persisted when the effects of symptoms and neurocognitive deficits were statistically controlled. Mastery, one domain of metacognition, is linked to social cognition independent of neurocognitive function and symptoms.
While many with schizophrenia spectrum disorders experience difficulties understanding the feelin... more While many with schizophrenia spectrum disorders experience difficulties understanding the feelings of others, little is known about the psychological antecedents of these deficits. To explore these issues we examined whether deficits in mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognitive capacity predict performance on an emotion recognition task. Participants were 115 adults with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and 58 adults with substance use disorders but no history of a diagnosis of psychosis who completed the Eyes and Hinting Test. Metacognitive capacity was assessed using the Metacognitive Assessment Scale Abbreviated and emotion recognition was assessed using the Bell Lysaker Emotion Recognition Test. Results revealed that the schizophrenia patients performed more poorly than controls on tests of emotion recognition, mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognition. Lesser capacities for mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognition were all uniquely related emotion recognition within the schizophrenia group even after controlling for neurocognition and symptoms in a stepwise multiple regression. Results suggest that deficits in emotion recognition in schizophrenia may partly result from a combination of impairments in the ability to judge the cognitive and affective states of others and difficulties forming complex representations of self and others.
A five-component model of schizophrenia has been presented by Kay and Sevy based upon an analysis... more A five-component model of schizophrenia has been presented by Kay and Sevy based upon an analysis of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Kay and Sevy found factorial validity for negative and positive syndromes, and they identified excitement, depressive, and cognitive components as well. They suggested that subtypes and syndromes can be mapped along dimensions presented in their model. The present study compares the five-component solution for a new sample of 146 subjects to a reanalysis of the Kay and Sevy data. Despite divergent demographic characteristics, the two samples produce similar dimensions. Correlations of component loadings and subject scores as well as a confirmatory factor analysis are presented. Discussion focuses on points of agreement and important differences in the symptoms assigned to each component. How the dimensions relate to rationally derived models of positive and negative syndromes is reviewed, and implications for subtyping and other methods of examining the heterogeneity of schizophrenia are considered.
The present study was conducted to explore correlates of vocational outcome for individuals with ... more The present study was conducted to explore correlates of vocational outcome for individuals with schizophrenia. Seventy-eight individuals with schizophrenia were recruited to take part in a supported employment program in which they were provided with approximately 6 months of part-time work through a VA hospital. Positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and level of insight into mental illness were assessed once every 4 weeks, in addition to a work performance evaluation with participants' supervisors. Hierarchical longitudinal regression analysis revealed that negative symptom severity and impaired insight were significantly associated with poor work performance, and this relationship persisted over time. By contrast, positive symptom severity was not significantly associated with work performance. These results indicate that insight and negative symptoms, which can fluctuate over time, may be driving fluctuations in work performance and may therefore be a valuable target for future interventions.
Introduction. Sexual dysfunctions that affect all aspects of sexuality are common in patients wit... more Introduction. Sexual dysfunctions that affect all aspects of sexuality are common in patients with eating disorders. However, only few studies have provided longitudinal information on sexual functioning in patients with eating disorders. Aim. To evaluate the longitudinal course of sexual functioning, and how changes in psychopathology and history of childhood abuse interact with sexual functioning in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Methods. A total of 27 patients with AN and 31 with BN were assessed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up after a standard individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Main Outcome Measures. Subjects were studied by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90, and Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Results. After treatment, both patients with AN and BN showed a significant improvement in the FSFI total score (P < 0.01 for both AN and BN) and all FSFI subscales, without significant between groups differences. Patients reporting childhood sexual abuse did not show a significant improvement in sexual functioning (b = 0.05; P = 0.58). Reduction in eating disorder severity was directly associated with FSFI improvement, but only in those subjects with no history of sexual abuse (b = 0.28; P = 0.01). Conclusions. Eating disorder-specific psychopathology could be considered as a specific maintaining factor for sexual dysfunction in eating disorders subjects. Subjects reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse represent a subpopulation of patients with a profound uneasiness, involving body perception, as well as sexual functioning, which appeared not to be adequately challenged during standard CBT intervention. The results, though original, should be considered as preliminary, given the relatively small sample size. Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Lelli L, Godini L, Vignozzi L, Rellini AH, Faravelli C, Maggi M, and Ricca V. Childhood sexual abuse moderates the relationship between sexual functioning and eating disorder psychopathology in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A 1-year follow-up study.
Theory of mind (ToM) is an aspect of social cognition that refers to the ability to make inferenc... more Theory of mind (ToM) is an aspect of social cognition that refers to the ability to make inferences about the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of other people. It is believed to be related to social functioning. Previous investigations of ToM in schizotypy have yielded mixed results. Using a correlational approach, the present study explored the relationship between schizotypal traits, ToM, neurocognition, depressed mood, and social functioning in a sample of 50 undergraduate students. Schizotypy was related to poor social functioning. Contrary to predictions, schizotypal traits were not associated with impaired ToM. In fact, schizotypal traits were associated with enhanced performance on a ToM task that involved detection of ironic statements. However, strong relationships emerged among schizotypy, depressed mood, and social functioning, highlighting the need to also examine depression when assessing the relations between elevated schizotypy and poor social functioning.
Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia often appear to be unaware of having an illness or activ... more Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia often appear to be unaware of having an illness or actively reject their diagnostic label. It is unclear, however, how this lack of awareness relates to important outcomes. Broadening the definition of awareness to include "narrative insight" may clarify this issue. The objective of this study was to identify profiles of narrative insight and test how these relate to standardized measure of insight. Sixty-five individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders participated in an assessment that included the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) and an in-depth semi-structured interview. Qualitative analysis revealed 5 central themes related to insight on the basis of which each interview was then rated. Cluster analysis of these ratings resulted in 4 profiles of narrative insight: (1) accepts illness/rejects label, (2) rejects illness/searches for a name (3) passive insight of illness and label, and (4) integrative insight. The SUMD differentiated between individuals assigned to profile 2 who showed low insight to their illness and those assigned to the other profiles of narrative insight, but could not differentiae between them. Results support the claim that illness narratives are multifaceted and that traditional measures of insight may not be sensitive to different ways in which people understand their illness. Keywords Severe mental illness; insight; narratives One of the most important advances of modern descriptive psychiatry is improved reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. But, even when offered by clinicians with the greatest of care and concern, reliable diagnoses are often rejected by the individuals for whom they are intended, leaving clinicians feeling frustrated and helpless. These mental health consumers, in turn, are often left feeling just as frustrated and helpless, as they often find it impossible to relate their experiences to the carefully rendered reliable diagnostic label. They may not agree with
Deficits in metacognitive capacity, or the abilities to think about thinking, are thought to be a... more Deficits in metacognitive capacity, or the abilities to think about thinking, are thought to be a key barrier to functioning in schizophrenia. Although metacognitive function may be linked to executive function, it is unclear how the different domains of each phenomenon are related to one another. Accordingly, we assessed 4 domains of metacognition on the basis of a self-generated narrative using the Metacognition Assessment Scale. These were correlated with subtests of the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System which assessed 2 domains of executive function: mental flexibility and inhibition. Participants were 49 men with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in a postacute phase of illness. Spearman Rho correlations revealed awareness of one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s thoughts and feelings were more closely linked to performance on tests which required mental flexibility while recognizing others&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; needs, and independent relationships were more closely linked to performance on tasks which required inhibitory control. Results suggest different domains of metacognition may be influenced by and influence different neurocognitive processes.
Psychiatry and related mental health fields, in particular psychotherapy, have a long history of ... more Psychiatry and related mental health fields, in particular psychotherapy, have a long history of close ties with the humanities. That bond has weakened, however, over the last few decades as medicalized views of mental health and treatment have emerged. In this paper, we explore the potential of the reintroduction of the humanities, specifically novels and related literary genre, into the supervision of student clinicians working with clients who have psychosis. We believe that incorporation of novels and related literary genre into supervision can lead to unique and deepened understanding of the experience of psychosis, and can create an opportunity for a working therapeutic alliance. The potential mechanisms that create these unique opportunities to understand psychopathology are explored, and considerations for the implications for treatment, training, and future research are presented.
Both childhood trauma and dissociation are associated with schizophrenia. More rudimentary form o... more Both childhood trauma and dissociation are associated with schizophrenia. More rudimentary form of dissociation known already from Eugen Bleuler as splitting of association is theoretically close to the modern concept of synthetic metacognition in schizophrenia. The synthetic metacognition as a psychological process is described as a capability to synthesize intentions, thoughts, feelings, and connections between events, and to integrate them into larger complex representations of self and others. Disturbed synthetic metacognition was found in early as well as in late forms of schizophrenia and has its typical formula. Deficit of synthetic metacognition is related to symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosocial functions. Synthetic metacognition is measurable by analyzing discourse using standardized procedures. The level of metacognition is assessed from the sample of narrative on the basis of the Metacognitive Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A). Psychotherapies focused on strengthening of metacognitive functions concentrate on integration of fragmented mental content or on promoting of formation of stable mental representations in this disorder.
Self-stigma is the internalization of negative societal stereotypes about those with mental illne... more Self-stigma is the internalization of negative societal stereotypes about those with mental illnesses. While self-stigma has been carefully characterized in severe mental disorders, like schizophrenia, the field has yet to examine the prevalence and correlates of self-stigma in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thus, we assessed self-stigma in veterans diagnosed with PTSD and compared with veterans with schizophrenia. We further examined associations between PTSD, depressive symptoms and self-stigma in the PTSD sample. Data came from two larger studies of people with PTSD (n = 46) and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 82). All participants completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMIS). Results revealed that people with schizophrenia report more experiences of discrimination as a result of stigma than do those with PTSD, but these diagnostic groups did not differ for other subscales. In the PTSD group, feelings of alienation positively correlated with PTS...
Handbook of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Volume II, 2011
Research has confirmed that many with schizophrenia experience deficits in metacognitive capacity... more Research has confirmed that many with schizophrenia experience deficits in metacognitive capacity defined as impairments in the ability to think about thinking, both with regards to their own thinking and the thinking of others. These difficulties are related to but not ...
Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern yo... more Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.
Many patients with substance abuse problems present with co-occurrent cluster C personality disor... more Many patients with substance abuse problems present with co-occurrent cluster C personality disorders. Focusing on both disorders disrupts the maintenance mechanisms and the vicious cycle between the 2 conditions; however, treatment teams often neglect this issue. In this work, we describe the features of metacognitive interpersonal therapy as applied to a man with avoidant and depressive personality disorders and heroin, cocaine, and alcohol abuse. Psychotherapy proceeded through the following steps: (a) conducting drug therapy to deal with symptoms of abstinence from heroin; (b) forming a therapeutic bond to overcome the patient's severe emotional withdrawal; (c) fostering basic metacognitive capacities such as awareness of emotions and their triggers; (d) sharing formulations of maladaptive interpersonal schemas and descriptions of the associated states of mind; (e) conveying an understanding of the link between interpersonal events (recent ones and traumatic memories) and su...
Deficits in metacognitive capacity in schizophrenia can be conceptualized as existing along a spe... more Deficits in metacognitive capacity in schizophrenia can be conceptualized as existing along a spectrum from more discrete to more synthetic activities. These capacities may be of great importance in schizophrenia research given their potential to mediate and moderate the impact of illness-related factors on outcome. To explore this possibility this review summarizes research on synthetic metacognition using a paradigm in which metacognitive capacity is rated on the basis of spontaneously produced personal narratives. Evidence from a review of the literature shows that these deficits are detectable in patients with schizophrenia and are related to, but not reducible to, symptom severity and poorer neurocognitive function. Independent of symptoms and neurocognition, deficits in synthetic metacognition, which are likely linked to the brain’s ability to integrate information, are related to a range of outcomes including functional competence, learning potential, and insight. These defic...
Il est etabli par la recherche que de nombreuses personnes atteintes de schizophrenie presentent ... more Il est etabli par la recherche que de nombreuses personnes atteintes de schizophrenie presentent un deficit de leurs capacites metacognitives, c’est-a-dire une alteration de leur aptitude a developper une pensee sur leur propre pensee ou sur celle d’autrui. Ces difficultes ont des liens avec les symptomes, mais ne leur sont pas reductibles. Une question pour la recherche contemporaine est de preciser les rapports entre ces deficits et les autres types de deficits cognitifs, ainsi que l’impact de ces differents deficits – cognitifs et metacognitifs – sur les capacites fonctionnelles. Alors que la cognition se degrade pendant la premiere phase de la schizophrenie, la capacite de developper une pensee sur ses propres pensees est-elle parallelement alteree ? En outre, meme s’ils sont lies a des deficits cognitifs, les deficits metacognitifs ont-ils un impact sur le fonctionnement independamment des deficits cognitifs ? Les fonctions metacognitives sont-elles mediatrices de l’impact des deficits cognitifs sur le fonctionnement quotidien ? Pour explorer ces hypotheses, cet article passe en revue des etudes recentes qui ont fait progresser notre comprehension de ces questions, portant sur la metacognition telle qu’elle se manifeste spontanement dans les recits autobiographiques d’adultes presentant des troubles du registre de la schizophrenie. Nous presenterons des resultats montrant que des deficits de la memoire verbale et des fonctions executives peuvent interferer avec la capacite d’elaborer et de garder present a l’esprit une representation de ses propres etats internes aussi bien que de ceux d’autrui. Nous evoquerons ensuite des resultats suggerant que les deficits metacognitifs ont un impact sur l’evolution des capacites fonctionnelles et conditionnent l’impact des deficits cognitifs sur le fonctionnement.
Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie, Psychologie und Psychotherapie, 2013
Die Gruppe der Schizophrenien umfasst heterogene psychopathologische Syndrome, die oft mit neurok... more Die Gruppe der Schizophrenien umfasst heterogene psychopathologische Syndrome, die oft mit neurokognitiven Störungen und niedrigem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau assoziiert sind. Empirische Studien legen nahe, dass viele mit Schizophrenie assoziierte Symptome auf Störungen der sozialen Kognition bzw. metakognitive Störungen zurückgeführt werden können. Diese Konzepte beziehen sich auf die Fähigkeit, soziale Signale wahrnehmen und interpretieren, eigene und psychische Zustände Anderer reflektieren und dieses Wissen flexibel in sozialen Interaktionen und zur Problemlösung einsetzen zu können. Der vorliegende Artikel gibt eine Übersicht über sozial-kognitive und metakognitive Defizite bei Schizophrenien und wie über das Training dieser Kernkompetenzen das psychosoziale Funktionsniveau von Patienten mit Schizophrenie verbessert werden kann. Bei Schizophrenien sind soziale Kognition und Metakognition eng mit dem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau verbunden, zum Teil jedoch auch abhängig von ...
Although the role and relative prominence of psychotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia has ... more Although the role and relative prominence of psychotherapy in the treatment of schizophrenia has fluctuated over time, an analysis of the history of psychotherapy for schizophrenia, focusing on findings from the recovery movement, reveals recent trends including the emergence of the development of integrative psychotherapy approaches. The authors suggest that the recovery movement has revealed limitations in traditional approaches to psychotherapy, and has provided opportunities for integrative approaches to emerge as a mechanism for promoting recovery in persons with schizophrenia. Five approaches to integrative psychotherapy for persons with schizophrenia are presented, and a shared conceptual framework that allows these five approaches to be compatible with one another is proposed. The conceptual framework is consistent with theories of recovery and emphasizes interpersonal attachment, personal narrative, and metacognitive processes. Implications for future research on integrative psychotherapy are considered.
Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 2010
Impairments in metacognition are believed to be closely linked with functional impairments among ... more Impairments in metacognition are believed to be closely linked with functional impairments among persons with schizophrenia. Recently, we proposed a method for assessing multiple domains of metacognition by rating a narrative generated by a semi-structured interview with an abbreviated form of the Metacognition Assessment Scale (MAS). Less is known about how this measure is linked to social cognition. The current study sought to compare, in a cross-sectional design, assessments of metacognition using the MAS and social cognition measured using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS). Participants were 37 adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who completed an assessment battery that included the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and the procedures needed to derive the MAS and SCORS indices. Univariate correlations and multiple regressions revealed that mastery, a domain of metacognition measuring thinking about oneself and coping with psychological challenges, was linked to SCORS indices which assess awareness of interpersonal relationships as the result of complex psychological forces and the recognition that relationships involve people with independent needs. This relationship persisted when the effects of symptoms and neurocognitive deficits were statistically controlled. Mastery, one domain of metacognition, is linked to social cognition independent of neurocognitive function and symptoms.
While many with schizophrenia spectrum disorders experience difficulties understanding the feelin... more While many with schizophrenia spectrum disorders experience difficulties understanding the feelings of others, little is known about the psychological antecedents of these deficits. To explore these issues we examined whether deficits in mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognitive capacity predict performance on an emotion recognition task. Participants were 115 adults with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and 58 adults with substance use disorders but no history of a diagnosis of psychosis who completed the Eyes and Hinting Test. Metacognitive capacity was assessed using the Metacognitive Assessment Scale Abbreviated and emotion recognition was assessed using the Bell Lysaker Emotion Recognition Test. Results revealed that the schizophrenia patients performed more poorly than controls on tests of emotion recognition, mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognition. Lesser capacities for mental state decoding, mental state reasoning and metacognition were all uniquely related emotion recognition within the schizophrenia group even after controlling for neurocognition and symptoms in a stepwise multiple regression. Results suggest that deficits in emotion recognition in schizophrenia may partly result from a combination of impairments in the ability to judge the cognitive and affective states of others and difficulties forming complex representations of self and others.
A five-component model of schizophrenia has been presented by Kay and Sevy based upon an analysis... more A five-component model of schizophrenia has been presented by Kay and Sevy based upon an analysis of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Kay and Sevy found factorial validity for negative and positive syndromes, and they identified excitement, depressive, and cognitive components as well. They suggested that subtypes and syndromes can be mapped along dimensions presented in their model. The present study compares the five-component solution for a new sample of 146 subjects to a reanalysis of the Kay and Sevy data. Despite divergent demographic characteristics, the two samples produce similar dimensions. Correlations of component loadings and subject scores as well as a confirmatory factor analysis are presented. Discussion focuses on points of agreement and important differences in the symptoms assigned to each component. How the dimensions relate to rationally derived models of positive and negative syndromes is reviewed, and implications for subtyping and other methods of examining the heterogeneity of schizophrenia are considered.
The present study was conducted to explore correlates of vocational outcome for individuals with ... more The present study was conducted to explore correlates of vocational outcome for individuals with schizophrenia. Seventy-eight individuals with schizophrenia were recruited to take part in a supported employment program in which they were provided with approximately 6 months of part-time work through a VA hospital. Positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and level of insight into mental illness were assessed once every 4 weeks, in addition to a work performance evaluation with participants' supervisors. Hierarchical longitudinal regression analysis revealed that negative symptom severity and impaired insight were significantly associated with poor work performance, and this relationship persisted over time. By contrast, positive symptom severity was not significantly associated with work performance. These results indicate that insight and negative symptoms, which can fluctuate over time, may be driving fluctuations in work performance and may therefore be a valuable target for future interventions.
Introduction. Sexual dysfunctions that affect all aspects of sexuality are common in patients wit... more Introduction. Sexual dysfunctions that affect all aspects of sexuality are common in patients with eating disorders. However, only few studies have provided longitudinal information on sexual functioning in patients with eating disorders. Aim. To evaluate the longitudinal course of sexual functioning, and how changes in psychopathology and history of childhood abuse interact with sexual functioning in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Methods. A total of 27 patients with AN and 31 with BN were assessed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up after a standard individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Main Outcome Measures. Subjects were studied by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90, and Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Results. After treatment, both patients with AN and BN showed a significant improvement in the FSFI total score (P < 0.01 for both AN and BN) and all FSFI subscales, without significant between groups differences. Patients reporting childhood sexual abuse did not show a significant improvement in sexual functioning (b = 0.05; P = 0.58). Reduction in eating disorder severity was directly associated with FSFI improvement, but only in those subjects with no history of sexual abuse (b = 0.28; P = 0.01). Conclusions. Eating disorder-specific psychopathology could be considered as a specific maintaining factor for sexual dysfunction in eating disorders subjects. Subjects reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse represent a subpopulation of patients with a profound uneasiness, involving body perception, as well as sexual functioning, which appeared not to be adequately challenged during standard CBT intervention. The results, though original, should be considered as preliminary, given the relatively small sample size. Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Lelli L, Godini L, Vignozzi L, Rellini AH, Faravelli C, Maggi M, and Ricca V. Childhood sexual abuse moderates the relationship between sexual functioning and eating disorder psychopathology in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A 1-year follow-up study.
Theory of mind (ToM) is an aspect of social cognition that refers to the ability to make inferenc... more Theory of mind (ToM) is an aspect of social cognition that refers to the ability to make inferences about the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of other people. It is believed to be related to social functioning. Previous investigations of ToM in schizotypy have yielded mixed results. Using a correlational approach, the present study explored the relationship between schizotypal traits, ToM, neurocognition, depressed mood, and social functioning in a sample of 50 undergraduate students. Schizotypy was related to poor social functioning. Contrary to predictions, schizotypal traits were not associated with impaired ToM. In fact, schizotypal traits were associated with enhanced performance on a ToM task that involved detection of ironic statements. However, strong relationships emerged among schizotypy, depressed mood, and social functioning, highlighting the need to also examine depression when assessing the relations between elevated schizotypy and poor social functioning.
Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia often appear to be unaware of having an illness or activ... more Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia often appear to be unaware of having an illness or actively reject their diagnostic label. It is unclear, however, how this lack of awareness relates to important outcomes. Broadening the definition of awareness to include "narrative insight" may clarify this issue. The objective of this study was to identify profiles of narrative insight and test how these relate to standardized measure of insight. Sixty-five individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders participated in an assessment that included the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) and an in-depth semi-structured interview. Qualitative analysis revealed 5 central themes related to insight on the basis of which each interview was then rated. Cluster analysis of these ratings resulted in 4 profiles of narrative insight: (1) accepts illness/rejects label, (2) rejects illness/searches for a name (3) passive insight of illness and label, and (4) integrative insight. The SUMD differentiated between individuals assigned to profile 2 who showed low insight to their illness and those assigned to the other profiles of narrative insight, but could not differentiae between them. Results support the claim that illness narratives are multifaceted and that traditional measures of insight may not be sensitive to different ways in which people understand their illness. Keywords Severe mental illness; insight; narratives One of the most important advances of modern descriptive psychiatry is improved reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. But, even when offered by clinicians with the greatest of care and concern, reliable diagnoses are often rejected by the individuals for whom they are intended, leaving clinicians feeling frustrated and helpless. These mental health consumers, in turn, are often left feeling just as frustrated and helpless, as they often find it impossible to relate their experiences to the carefully rendered reliable diagnostic label. They may not agree with
Deficits in metacognitive capacity, or the abilities to think about thinking, are thought to be a... more Deficits in metacognitive capacity, or the abilities to think about thinking, are thought to be a key barrier to functioning in schizophrenia. Although metacognitive function may be linked to executive function, it is unclear how the different domains of each phenomenon are related to one another. Accordingly, we assessed 4 domains of metacognition on the basis of a self-generated narrative using the Metacognition Assessment Scale. These were correlated with subtests of the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System which assessed 2 domains of executive function: mental flexibility and inhibition. Participants were 49 men with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in a postacute phase of illness. Spearman Rho correlations revealed awareness of one&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s thoughts and feelings were more closely linked to performance on tests which required mental flexibility while recognizing others&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; needs, and independent relationships were more closely linked to performance on tasks which required inhibitory control. Results suggest different domains of metacognition may be influenced by and influence different neurocognitive processes.
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