Research into subclinical psychotic experiences (hallucinations and delusions) have gained momentum in recent years due to increasing evidence in support of the continuum theory of psychosis. However, most of these studies have focused on the epidemiology including prevalence and potential sociodemographic determinants of any psychotic experiences in the general population. Now, we know that not all of these experiences are clinically relevant; it is important that the next generation of studies focus on delineating markers of clinical significance (including symptom frequency, duration, distress, insight and impact on psychosocial functioning) as well identifying potential protective and risk factors of these markers in non-clinical populations. Since clinical significance typically determine help-seeking in individuals; it is also important to shed light on help-seeking vis-à-vis these clinical markers and their potential determinants
Our research topic will target this new generation of studies focusing on the clinical phenomenology of hallucinations and delusions and their relation to treatment seeking in non-clinical community-based samples. We want to understand the associations of these clinical markers with known protective and risk factors of psychosis severity in non-clinical populations including individual-level factors (e.g. stress, trauma, schizotypy, insomnia, mood/ anxiety symptoms) and cultural-level factors (e.g. extraordinary beliefs in spirits, black magic, evil eye, religiosity, stigma) , and their influence on treatment seeking in these otherwise healthy populations
• Clinical phenomenology (symptom frequency, duration, distress, insight and impact on psychosocial functioning)
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Treatment seeking
• Associations with individual-level variables (e.g. stress, trauma, schizotypy, insomnia, mood/anxiety symptoms)
• Associations with cultural-level variables (e.g. extraordinary beliefs in spirits, black magic, evil eye, religiosity, stigma)
• Associations with treatment seeking beliefs and practices
Research into subclinical psychotic experiences (hallucinations and delusions) have gained momentum in recent years due to increasing evidence in support of the continuum theory of psychosis. However, most of these studies have focused on the epidemiology including prevalence and potential sociodemographic determinants of any psychotic experiences in the general population. Now, we know that not all of these experiences are clinically relevant; it is important that the next generation of studies focus on delineating markers of clinical significance (including symptom frequency, duration, distress, insight and impact on psychosocial functioning) as well identifying potential protective and risk factors of these markers in non-clinical populations. Since clinical significance typically determine help-seeking in individuals; it is also important to shed light on help-seeking vis-à-vis these clinical markers and their potential determinants
Our research topic will target this new generation of studies focusing on the clinical phenomenology of hallucinations and delusions and their relation to treatment seeking in non-clinical community-based samples. We want to understand the associations of these clinical markers with known protective and risk factors of psychosis severity in non-clinical populations including individual-level factors (e.g. stress, trauma, schizotypy, insomnia, mood/ anxiety symptoms) and cultural-level factors (e.g. extraordinary beliefs in spirits, black magic, evil eye, religiosity, stigma) , and their influence on treatment seeking in these otherwise healthy populations
• Clinical phenomenology (symptom frequency, duration, distress, insight and impact on psychosocial functioning)
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Treatment seeking
• Associations with individual-level variables (e.g. stress, trauma, schizotypy, insomnia, mood/anxiety symptoms)
• Associations with cultural-level variables (e.g. extraordinary beliefs in spirits, black magic, evil eye, religiosity, stigma)
• Associations with treatment seeking beliefs and practices
