A qualitative comparison of psychotic‐like phenomena in clinical and non‐clinical populations

Abstract

It is not the OOE itself that determines the development of a clinical condition, but rather the wider personal and interpersonal contexts that influence how this experience is subsequently integrated. Theoretical implications for the refinement of psychosis models are outlined, and clinical implications for the validation and normalization of psychotic-like phenomena are proposed.

Hallucinations: A Systematic Review of Points of Similarity and Difference Across Diagnostic Classes

“…44,69 By contrast, there is an absence of information regarding external triggers in nonclinical groups on the basis of the one direct comparison study reviewed here. 44 We note however that one small qualitative study investigating “out-of-the-ordinary” experiences including hallucinations 92 showed triggering by social isolation.…”

‘It’s about having exposure to this’: investigating the training needs of therapists in relation to the issue of anomalous experiences

“…This corresponds with the 'continuum model' of mental health which argues that individuals vary along a scale of poor mental health and good mental health, and that this can depend on various personal and external factors. In terms of AEs, for example, recent research has shown that it is not necessarily the AE itself that has an impact on whether or not the person experiences psychological distress, but rather how they appraise such experiences, perceived levels of social support, and whether or not there are opportunities to reduce stigma in a context that normalises and validates the experience (Brett, Heriot-Maitland, McGuire, & Peters, 2014;Heriot-Maitland, Knight, & Peters, 2012;Roxburgh & Roe, 2014;Taylor & Murray, 2012).…”

‘They daren’t tell people’: therapists’ experiences of working with clients who report anomalous experiences

“…These findings are congruent with studies that have compared clinical and nonclinical samples to investigate predictors of distress associated with AEs, as normalizing and validating contexts in which experiences can be accepted, understood, and shared were shown to be associated with lower distress. Moreover, it has been argued that it is not necessarily the AE that causes psychological distress but rather individuals' appraisals of the experience as socially and culturally unacceptable (Brett, Heriot-Maitland, McGuire, & Peters, 2013;Heriot-Maitland, Knight, & Peters, 2012).…”