Exploring the Spectrum: Early Psychosis from a Transdiagnostic Perspective

Abstract

The research project titled "Exploring the Spectrum: Early Psychosis from a Transdiagnostic Perspective" represents a collaborative partnership between two Universities, namely the University of Sao Paulo and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. This initiative bridges expertise and resources of both Universities, providing shared supervision and financial support for the doctorate researcher. The University of Groningen has successfully completed its portion of the agreement, advancing the project over two years (2022-2024). It is now the responsibility of the University of São Paulo to oversee the project's subsequent phase (2024-2026). Consequently, securing a FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) doctoral scholarship is crucial for the project's continuation and successful completion within the next two years. At its core, this project delves into the initial phases of psychosis, aiming to provide insights into potential interventions and prevention strategies. It leverages two types of intensive longitudinal data: daily diary data (i.e., one assessment at the end of the day for several days) and ecological momentary assessments (i.e., several assessments per day for several days). These methodologies provide insights into the mental health of individuals in their everyday environments, thereby ensuring high ecological validity. Furthermore, the project employs a transdiagnostic approach to explore the psychosis continuum within the spectrum of mental health problems, and utilizes the Clinical Staging Model (CSM) for categorizing psychosis progression. The project encompasses three scientific papers:1. The Association Between Daily Reports of Loneliness and Psychotic Experiences: Investigate how loneliness are associated with psychotic experiences within- and between days across different clinical stages of psychosis.2. Anticipating a Suicide Attempt Using Daily Diary Data: Investigates if we could detect significant changes in psychopathology in the days preceding a suicide attempt, emphasizing the importance of monitoring daily (mental) health changes.3. Investigating the Protective Influence of Feeling Safe in Momentary Paranoia: Investigate how the feeling of safety can buffer against paranoia in individuals' daily lives, especially across different social contexts.This project aims to provide insights for future intervention and prevention strategies and suggests that early, targeted interventions based on the transdiagnostic and clinical staging models may enhance outcomes for individuals at risk of developing severe psychiatric conditions.