Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: Main Research Portfolio
: 1) Systematic Review of the Safety of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychosis ; 2) Looking After NHS Staff and Ourselves: An Evaluation of the Impact of Trauma-Informed Compassionate Leadership Training on Managerial Staff's Confidence and Knowledge During the Pandemic ; 3) Dehumanisation in Voice-Hearers: The End of the Continuum. (Alternative Format Thesis)

  • Bethany Venus

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)

Abstract

Background
Meta-dehumanization and self-dehumanization have been identified as relevant phenomena for developing a deeper understanding of distress related to psychosis. Chadwick (2019) has previously argued that people with psychosis typically feel “dehumanised and set apart by their experiences of psychosis and trauma” and frames mindfulness for psychosis as a humanising therapeutic process. Exploring the experience of dehumanisation in voice hearers was selected as a useful starting point in understanding dehumanisation in people with psychosis.

Method
Qualitative data was obtained through twenty semi-structured interviews with self-identifying voice hearers and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. This followed the recursive six phase procedure of Braun and Clarke (2022), and this was conducted from a critical realist, contextualist position.

Results
Reflexive thematic analysis of participant’s experiences produced a core theme, Dehumanisation as the End of Experiential Continua, and six subthemes: Extent of Distressing Sensory Fragmentation; Sense of Belonging with Other Humans; Integrity of Self as a Private, Coherent Entity; Sense of Worth as a Human Being; Strength of Personal Agency; and Trust in Own Credibility and Reliability. Two further themes, The Push and Pull of Dehumanising Forces and Reclaiming Life through Humanising Forces, were identified.

Conclusions
Reflexive thematic analysis of voice hearers’ accounts identified self-dehumanisation as the endpoint where six experiential continua coalesce. Movement along these continua was affected by a range of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and societal forces over time, including dehumanising attitudes of others and voice malevolence and omnipotence.

Date of Award10 Oct 2022
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • University of Bath
SupervisorPaul Chadwick (Supervisor) & Lyn Ellett (Supervisor)

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