A network analysis of voice hearing, emotional distress and subjective recovery before and after cognitive behavioural interventions.

Background: There is a need to identify and to better understand key processes involved in voice hearing, which can inform the targeting and development of psychological interventions for distressing voices. The current study aimed to examine interrelations between the negative impact of voices, voice characteristics, emotional distress and recovery before and after cognitive behavioural interventions for voices (Coping Strategy Enhancement, guided self-help Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Relating Therapy and Person-Based Cognitive Therapy).

Methods: The sample consisted of 172 participants from the Sussex Voices Clinic who completed pre- and post-treatment assessments.

How does loneliness interact with positive, negative and depressive symptoms of psychosis? New insights from a longitudinal therapy process study.

Cross-sectional research suggests an association between loneliness and psychotic symptoms, but the causal direction of this association is still unclear. Even though loneliness has been proposed as a potential treatment target to improve psychotherapy for psychosis, not much is known about its role in the treatment process. In this study, we re-analyzed data from a therapy process study to investigate the temporal dynamics between loneliness and psychotic symptoms throughout therapy and to explore whether state-of-the-art CBT for psychosis (CBTp) decreases loneliness.

A cross-national investigation of psychosis-like experiences in five European countries included in the E-CLECTIC study: Psychometric challenges in studying their measurement.

Background: Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are subtle, subclinical perturbations of perceptions and thoughts and are common in the general population. Their characterisation and unidimensionality are still debated.

Methods: This study was conducted by the Electronic-halluCinations-Like Experiences Cross-culTural International Consortium (E-CLECTIC) and aimed at measuring the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) factorial structure across five European countries (Belgium; Czech Republic, Germany; Greece, and Spain) and testing the adequacy of the unidimensional polytomous Rasch model of the tool via Partial Credit Model (PCM) of the CAPE to detect people with a high risk for developing psychosis.

Predicting the onset of psychotic experiences in daily life with the use of ambulatory sensor data - A proof-of-concept study.

Introduction: Predictive models of psychotic symptoms could improve ecological momentary interventions by dynamically providing help when it is needed. Wearable sensors measuring autonomic arousal constitute a feasible base for predictive models since they passively collect physiological data linked to the onset of psychotic experiences. To explore this potential, we investigated whether changes in autonomic arousal predict the onset of hallucination spectrum experiences (HSE) and paranoia in individuals with an increased likelihood of experiencing psychotic symptoms.

Cross-cultural validation of the revised Green et al., paranoid thoughts scale.

Background: With efforts increasing worldwide to understand and treat paranoia, there is a pressing need for cross-culturally valid assessments of paranoid beliefs. The recently developed Revised Green et al., Paranoid Thoughts Scale (R-GPTS) constitutes an easy to administer self-report assessment of mild ideas of reference and more severe persecutory thoughts.

Differentiating paranoia and conspiracy mentality using a network approach.

Although mostly considered distinct, conspiracy mentality and paranoia share conceptual similarities (e.g., persecutory content, resistance to disconfirming evidence).

The use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies in people with attenuated psychotic symptoms - Results from a two-week diary study.

Background: Prior research has shown that negative emotion constitutes a trigger for psychosis. This effect is further amplified by using maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. In contrast, the role of adaptive emotion regulation strategies is less clear despite its potential for informing interventions and prevention efforts.

Are effort-based decision-making tasks worth the effort?-A study on the associations between effort-based decision-making tasks and self-report measures.

Objectives: Amotivation is a common symptom in various mental disorders, including psychotic or depressive disorders. Effort-based decision-making (EBDM)-tasks quantifying amotivation at a behavioral level have been on the rise. Task performance has been shown to differentiate patient groups from healthy controls.

Pandemic paranoia in the general population: international prevalence and sociodemographic profile.

Background: The term 'pandemic paranoia' has been coined to refer to heightened levels of mistrust and suspicion towards other people specifically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examine the international prevalence of pandemic paranoia in the general population and its associated sociodemographic profile.

Methods: A representative international sample of general population adults ( = 2510) from five sites (USA = 535, Germany = 516, UK = 512, Australia = 502 and Hong Kong = 445) were recruited using stratified quota sampling (for age, sex, educational attainment) and completed the Pandemic Paranoia Scale (PPS).

Low goal-directed behavior in negative symptoms is explained by goal setting - Results of a diary study.

Background And Objectives: Engaging in goal-directed activities is a core difficulty of people with negative symptoms in schizophrenia. A previously developed goal pursuit model of negative symptoms (Schlier et al. 2017) postulates that negative symptom severity correlates with a tendency to set more avoidance- than approach-oriented goals.

Taking a machine learning approach to optimize prediction of vaccine hesitancy in high income countries.

Understanding factors driving vaccine hesitancy is crucial to vaccination success. We surveyed adults (N = 2510) from February to March 2021 across five sites (Australia = 502, Germany = 516, Hong Kong = 445, UK = 512, USA = 535) using a cross-sectional design and stratified quota sampling for age, sex, and education. We assessed willingness to take a vaccine and a comprehensive set of putative predictors.

Predictors of successful discontinuation of antipsychotics and antidepressants.

Background: To offer support for patients who decide to discontinue antipsychotic and antidepressant medication, identifying which potentially modifiable factors correlate with discontinuation success is crucial. Here, we analyzed the predictive value of the professional support received, circumstances prior to discontinuation, a strategy of discontinuation, and use of functional and non-functional coping strategies during discontinuation on self-reported discontinuation success and on objective discontinuation.

Methods: Patients who had attempted discontinuing antipsychotics (AP) and/or antidepressants (AD) during the past 5 years ( = 316) completed an online survey including questions on subjective and objective discontinuation success, sociodemographic, clinical and medication-related factors, and scales to assess the putative predictors.

RELATE-a randomised controlled feasibility trial of a Relating Therapy module for distressing auditory verbal hallucinations: a study protocol.

Introduction: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are associated with distress and reduced functioning. Research suggests that distress is associated with the voice hearer's responding to AVH in a passive and subordinate manner. A novel approach focuses on relating to AVH and teaches assertive responses to AVH using experiential role-plays.

A rating scale to inform successful discontinuation of antipsychotics and antidepressants.

Practitioners lack guidance on how to support discontinuation of psychotropic medication. An understanding of what constitutes discontinuation success that encompasses the patients' perspective could advance knowledge in this clinically relevant area. Here, we report the development and validation of a scale to assess subjective discontinuation success.

Service User Experiences of Integrating a Mobile Solution (IMPACHS) Into Clinical Treatment for Psychosis.

Innovative technological solutions are increasingly being introduced into psychotherapy. Understanding service user perspectives is a key aspect in adapting this technology to treatment. This study investigated service users' personal experience of the utility, challenges, and rewards of using an mHealth solution in cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp).

Relating between the voice and voice-hearer: Validation of a revised version of the Voice And You.

Advancements in CBT for distressing voices have led to the development of understandings and the treatment of voice hearing within relational frameworks. In this study, we aim to validate and revise the Voice And You (VAY), one of the first measures that was developed to assess distressing relationships with voices. Data was pooled from 5 sources (n = 192) including the VAY and an interview-based assessment of voice-hearing.

Construction and validation of the Approve questionnaires - Measures of relating to voices and other people.

Background: The effectiveness of psychological treatments for auditory hallucinations ('voices') needs to be enhanced. Some forms of novel treatment are working within relational frameworks to support patients to relate assertively to distressing voices. Yet, no measure of assertive relating to voices is available to assess the extent to which this skill is developed during therapy.

Awareness and rumination moderate the affective pathway to paranoia in daily life.

Numerous cross-sectional studies found psychosis to be associated with less awareness of emotions, a decreased use of adaptive (e.g. reappraisal) and an increased use of maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) strategies (e.

Emotions and persecutory ideation in daily life: On the trail of the "chicken and egg" problem.

Etiological models highlight the importance of emotions for the emergence of persecutory ideation. To increase our understanding of their exacerbation, we tested whether this process can be explained by a vicious cycle of negative emotions and persecutory ideation in daily life. Furthermore, we examined whether this process differs in people with and without a psychotic disorder by testing a sample of 34 individuals with elevated psychotic experiences without a diagnosis (subclinical sample) and a sample of 33 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (clinical sample).

Sleep and psychotic symptoms: An actigraphy and diary study with young adults with low and elevated psychosis proneness.

Experimental research has shown that poor sleep triggers psychotic experiences, even in healthy participants. This warrants an in-depth investigation of this mechanism in a naturalistic environment, an exploration of which particular aspects of poor sleep trigger psychotic symptoms, and a test for reverse effects of symptoms on sleep. For this purpose, we conducted a 14-day ambulatory assessment study with 82 young adults (age: M = 21.

Fostering coping as a mechanism of symptom change in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.

Introduction: Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) has been repeatedly shown to ameliorate psychotic symptoms. However, so far we have little understanding of the mechanisms of change in CBTp. In this study, we tested whether improved cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage taxing external or internal demands (=coping) constitute a mechanism of change in CBTp.