A preliminary investigation of schematic beliefs and unusual experiences in children

Abstract

Background: In cognitive models of adult psychosis, schematic beliefs about the self and

Variation in psychosocial influences according to the dimensions and content of children’s unusual experiences: potential routes for the development of targeted interventions

“…In recent studies, the psychosocial factors implicated in the onset, severity, and maintenance of adult psychosis have been found to also predict the occurrence and severity of childhood UEs [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. Our research has shown that cognitive, emotional and social factors each make independent contributions to overall UE severity, supporting the general applicability of CBTp to this group [30].…”

“…These five types (hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, paranormal thinking (belief in telepathy and mind-reading), and grandiosity), have been broadly replicated by other studies of the CAPE in adolescents [38][39][40][41], and parallel distinctions found in clinical psychosis [42]. Hallucinations and paranoia appear more likely to be distressing and associated with current and future psychopathology [43,44], and there are preliminary suggestions that the role of schematic beliefs may vary according to UE content or type [32,34]. No study to date has systematically examined the association of key cognitive, emotional and social processes relevant to CBTp with particular UE presentations in children.…”

“…Our research has shown that cognitive, emotional and social factors each make independent contributions to overall UE severity, supporting the general applicability of CBTp to this group [30]. We have also shown that reasoning [31] and negative schematic beliefs [32] can both be assessed in children in a similar fashion to adults with psychosis, and could both form useful foci for intervention. However, it remains unclear whether childhood UEs share characteristics of dimension, and content or type, with adult symptoms of psychosis, and, if so, whether there is similar variation in associated psychosocial processes to support the development of targeted interventions.…”

“…These theoretical advances have informed the development of targeted CBTp interventions that focus on changing a particular cognitive or emotional process, in the context of a particular symptom presentation. Larger effect sizes for change in primary outcomes are typically reported in trials of targeted interventions, compared to those for trials of generic, undifferentiated CBTp protocols with heterogeneous therapy foci [23][24][25][26][27].In recent studies, the psychosocial factors implicated in the onset, severity, and maintenance of adult psychosis have been found to also predict the occurrence and severity of childhood UEs [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. Our research has shown that cognitive, emotional and social factors each make independent contributions to overall UE severity, supporting the general applicability of CBTp to this group [30].…”

Toward earlier identification and preventative intervention in schizophrenia: evidence from the London Child Health and Development Study

“…In pretreatment data, negative life events, emotional symptoms, cognitive biases (e.g. probabilistic reasoning and jumping to conclusions biases), and negative schematic beliefs about self and others independently contributed to PLE severity [75,76]. Further, negative schematic beliefs mediated the relationship between experiences of bullying and PLEs [77].…”