Experiencing negative symptoms in psychosis: a systematic qualitative review

ABSTRACT

Although negative symptoms of psychosis are frequently researched, the subjective experience of these symptoms is not often studied in detail. This paper addresses this shortcoming by reviewing qualitative research about first-person perspectives on negative symptoms. A systematic literature search using Web of Science, Scopus, PsychArticles, PubMed, CiNAHL and Embase revealed 12 relevant studies. Our review yields a model with five clusters: failing social interactions; experiences of disconnection; overwhelming psychotic experiences; an eroded self-image; and detrimental side effects of psychotropic medication. In the discussion, the authors conclude that disturbances underlying negative symptoms should be studied in greater detail, starting explicitly from theoretical frameworks like phenomenology or psychoanalysis.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychosis
• metasynthesis
• subjective experience
• negative syndrome
• detachment
• social difficulties

Acknowledgments

We thank our colleagues of the “qualitative research club” for their useful feedback on our analyses and Ufuoma Angelica Norman for editing the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Notes

1. List is available upon demand.

2. The final version of the model was established with the aid of the useful feedback from the reviewers.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF; ref. 01D27617).