Psychosis as a problem of social interaction

Psychotic disorders are amongst the most impairing mental disorders, affecting up to 3% of mostly young people. Both positive symptoms, such as paranoia (the idea that others intend to harm you) and negative symptoms (e.g. the lack of enjoyment from being with others) are typically social in nature. This research proposal will target these alterations in social interaction as a specific and central characteristic of psychosis. Three complementary research lines will study:

1. the nature of these altered social interactions as they occur in real life. What are the difficulties people encounter and how do patients themselves experience them?
2. Where do these alterations in social interaction come from? What is the effect of the environment and of familial liability, as well as their mutual influence, on the development of social skills and psychotic experiences?
3. How can a new intervention specifically targeting social interaction counteract the social impairments and symptoms of psychosis?

This study contributes to a better understanding of a core problem of psychosis, thus fostering the development of highly needed new treatments.