How social difficulties produce cognitive problems during the mediation of psychosis: a qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
The study examines effects of social difficulties such as invalidating and stressful relationships and lack of social support on cognitive processes in psychosis.


METHODS
Biographical and ethnographic methods deriving insights from personal experience of psychosis; interactions with patients in hospital and hostel care and from group work.


CONCLUSIONS
Social stresses can damage the self, resulting in disarray to executive control, serial ordering, organizational and retrieval processes. Negative social experiences also skew probability judgements of the likelihood of threat/ betrayal which may be confirmed by coincidences--resulting in the adoption of a risky decisional style. This maximizes perceptions confirming of a delusional belief.
Chadwick
Peter K
PK
Psychology Division, Birkbeck College Faculty of Continuing Education, School of Social and Natural Sciences, University of London, Bloomsbury, UK. pkc4@tutor.open.ac.uk
D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012940:Social Problems / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological