Self‐Transcendence as a Risk and Resilience Factor in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis

Abstract

AimSelf‐transcendence is a personality feature and psychological resource that involves feelings of connectedness with the universe, all of humanity, and the individual self. Self‐transcendence has been positively associated with both positive psychotic symptoms and clinical high risk for developing psychosis status, but studies reporting these findings focus solely on the connectedness‐with‐universe aspect of self‐transcendence. The broader self‐transcendence literature, which also includes connection with humanity and oneself, robustly supports self‐transcendence as an indicator of well‐being. Given this discrepancy, we sought to understand whether self‐transcendence should be considered a risk or resilience factor for youth at clinical high risk.MethodsWe operationalised self‐transcendence using two more holistic measures novel to the clinical high risk population. Clinical high risk participants (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 44) completed the Adult Self‐Transcendence Inventory and participated in narrative life story interviews which were coded for self‐transcendence themes.Results and DiscussionClinical high risk individuals scored lower than healthy controls on measures of self‐transcendence, functioning, and life satisfaction. However, there were no group differences in the relationships between self‐transcendence and measures of well‐being.ConclusionOur findings suggest self‐transcendence is a part of healthy personality development that may be impacted in clinical high risk individuals yet may still function as a psychological resource for this population, pointing toward new avenues for intervention in clinical high risk and other mental health populations.