TY - JOUR
T1 - Intrusions in trauma and psychosis
T2 - Information processing and phenomenology
AU - Marks, E. M.
AU - Steel, C.
AU - Peters, E. R.
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Background Intrusions are common symptoms of both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia. It has been suggested that an information processing style characterized by weak trait contextual integration renders psychotic individuals vulnerable to intrusive experiences. This 'contextual integration hypothesis' was tested in individuals reporting anomalous experiences in the absence of a need for care. Method Twenty-six low schizotypes and 23 individuals reporting anomalous experiences were shown a traumatic film with and without a concurrent visuospatial task (VST). Participants rated post-traumatic intrusions for frequency and form, and completed self-report measures of information processing style. It was predicted that, because of their weaker trait contextual integration, the anomalous experiences (AE) group would (1) exhibit more intrusions following exposure to the trauma film, (2) display intrusions characterized by more PTSD qualities and (3) show a greater reduction of intrusions with the concurrent VST. Results As predicted, the AE group reported a lower level of trait contextual integration and more intrusions than the low schizotypes, both immediately after watching the film and during the following 7 days. Their post-traumatic intrusive memories were more PTSD-like (more intrusive, vivid and associated with emotion). The VST had no effect on the number of intrusions in either group. Conclusions These findings provide some support for the proposal that weak trait contextual integration underlies the development of intrusions within both PTSD and psychosis.
AB - Background Intrusions are common symptoms of both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia. It has been suggested that an information processing style characterized by weak trait contextual integration renders psychotic individuals vulnerable to intrusive experiences. This 'contextual integration hypothesis' was tested in individuals reporting anomalous experiences in the absence of a need for care. Method Twenty-six low schizotypes and 23 individuals reporting anomalous experiences were shown a traumatic film with and without a concurrent visuospatial task (VST). Participants rated post-traumatic intrusions for frequency and form, and completed self-report measures of information processing style. It was predicted that, because of their weaker trait contextual integration, the anomalous experiences (AE) group would (1) exhibit more intrusions following exposure to the trauma film, (2) display intrusions characterized by more PTSD qualities and (3) show a greater reduction of intrusions with the concurrent VST. Results As predicted, the AE group reported a lower level of trait contextual integration and more intrusions than the low schizotypes, both immediately after watching the film and during the following 7 days. Their post-traumatic intrusive memories were more PTSD-like (more intrusive, vivid and associated with emotion). The VST had no effect on the number of intrusions in either group. Conclusions These findings provide some support for the proposal that weak trait contextual integration underlies the development of intrusions within both PTSD and psychosis.
KW - Contextual integration
KW - intrusions
KW - post-traumatic stress disorder
KW - psychosis
KW - schizotypy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870030314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291712000505
U2 - 10.1017/S0033291712000505
DO - 10.1017/S0033291712000505
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84870030314
SN - 0033-2917
VL - 42
SP - 2313
EP - 2323
JO - Psychological Medicine
JF - Psychological Medicine
IS - 11
ER -