Brew Benjamin, Shannon Ciaran, Storey Lesley, Boyd Adrian, Mulholland Ciaran
a School of Psychology , Queens University Belfast , Belfast , Northern Ireland.
b STEP Team , Northern Health and Social Care Trust , Antrim , Northern Ireland.
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2017 Dec;12(1):1342504. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2017.1342504.
Over recent years there has been a growing interest in identifying the early stages of psychosis. The At Risk Mental State (ARMS) is characteristic of the prodromal stages of psychosis and its identification gives rise to a number of clinical and research opportunities including early intervention and prevention of psychosis. This study employs interpretative phenomenological analysis to gain insights into the subjective experience and individuals understanding of the development of their ARMS. Five participants took part and provided information on the experience of symptoms, life prior to onset of their ARMS and their understanding of symptoms and their development through a semi structured interview. From the analysis of transcripts eight themes emerged which were common across participants accounts. Three themes of experience (disturbed world/disturbed self, disconnection with the world, thunderstruck) and five themes of understanding (absence of understanding, use of others, identity, forming links, fragmented understanding) were identified. Themes are explored in detail and discussed in relation to existing literature and theory. Clinical implications, directions for future research, and limitations are discussed within.
近年来，人们对识别精神病的早期阶段越来越感兴趣。处于风险的精神状态（ARMS）是精神病前驱期的特征，对其进行识别带来了许多临床和研究机会，包括早期干预和预防精神病。本研究采用解释现象学分析，以深入了解主观体验以及个体对其ARMS发展的理解。五名参与者参与其中，并通过半结构化访谈提供了有关症状体验、ARMS发作前的生活以及他们对症状及其发展的理解的信息。通过对访谈记录的分析，出现了八个在参与者描述中普遍存在的主题。确定了三个体验主题（混乱的世界/混乱的自我、与世界脱节、震惊）和五个理解主题（缺乏理解、借助他人、身份认同、建立联系、碎片化理解）。将详细探讨这些主题，并结合现有文献和理论进行讨论。文中还讨论了临床意义、未来研究方向和局限性。
