Self and world experience in non-affective first episode of psychosis.
Luis Madeira, Elizabeth Pienkos, Teresa Filipe, Mariana Melo, Guilherme Queiroz, João Eira, Cristina Costa, Maria Luísa Figueira, Louis Sass
Schizophrenia research September 1, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.07.001 via PubMed
Summary
First-episode psychosis patients showed significantly higher scores on the Examination of Anomalous World Experience (EAWE) and the Examination of Anomalous Self Experience (EASE) compared to healthy controls. The study involved 24 hospital outpatients with non-affective first-episode psychosis and 24 healthy participants. EAWE and EASE scores were highly correlated, indicating a connection between anomalous world experiences and self-disturbances in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Study at a glance
| Sample size | 48 |
|---|---|
| Population | 24 hospital outpatients with non-affective first-episode psychosis and 24 healthy-control participants |
| Key finding | First episode psychosis patients had total EAWE and EASE scores that were both significantly higher than the healthy-control group. |
Abstract
A disturbance of "minimal self," - of the immediate sense of mine-ness inherent in experience-is hypothesized to be the core disturbance in schizophrenia. Research with the Examination of Anomalous Self Experience (EASE) has demonstrated the selective aggregation of anomalous self-experiences in the schizophrenia spectrum. Conceptual research suggests that anomalous world experiences, including changes in the experience of space, time, and other persons, occur alongside anomalous self-experiences and are an important aspect of subjectivity in schizophrenia. The Examination of Anomalous World Experience (EAWE) is a recently published interview format designed to explore changes in world experience in schizophrenia. In the current study, 24 hospital outpatients with non-affective first-episode psychosis and 24 healthy-control participants were assessed with the EAWE and the EASE. First episode psychosis patients had total EAWE and EASE scores that were both, on average, significantly higher than the healthy-control group. EAWE and EASE scores were highly correlated, even after removing overlapping items. The distribution of EAWE items and subtypes in the first-episode psychosis sample was heterogeneous. We conclude that anomalous world experiences represent a relevant aspect of first-episode psychosis, and that they may be related to the self-disturbances thought to underlie schizophrenia spectrum disorders.