Social Dysfunction in Psychosis: Advances from the Study of Metacognition
In our 6th Fresh Perspectives webinar with Amara Davis we discuss how social withdrawal can effect psychosis in mental illness. Amara interviews Dr. Paul Lysaker, a clinical psychologist at the VA medical center in Indianapolis and a professor of clinical psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine. We explore his recently published work entitled “Social Dysfunction in Psychosis Is More Than a Matter of Misperception- Advances From the Study of Metacognition”. Dr. Lysaker has been interested in studying how a person’s sense of self changes when experiencing severe mental illness and investigating the recovery from this shift in self-perception. Dr. Lysaker outlines the critical importance of social connections and support for people suffering from psychosis and mental illness. This interview presents social dysfunction through the framework of metacognition, a process by which social information is integrated into a sense of self through complex interactions and Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy (MERIT), an integrative therapeutic approach aiming to assist living with mental illness through introspection. For any questions email Dr. Lysaker at plysaker “at” iupui.edu.
Public Interest and Provider Value:
• Discusses a quantitative and integrated therapeutic framework, MERIT, that works in tandem with the recovering person to improve social function. Through measurable elements, a patient’s metacognitive progress on sense of self and others can be tracked and the most beneficial practices per patient can be determined by a provider.
Innovation in Research:
• Looks at the importance of strong social bonds in recovering from psychosis and how metacognition informs on social connection.
Key Finding in Research:
• Journal article presents that deficits in metacognition may be the reason why people struggling with psychosis may struggle to make sense of social experiences.
To see Amara Davis’s full interview with Dr. Paul Lysaker, see video below or view the interview on the LMI YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/7xnWFFXFh-s
Lysaker PH, Hasson-Ohayon I, Wiesepape C, Huling K, Musselman A and Lysaker JT. (2021). Social Dysfunction in Psychosis Is More Than a Matter of Misperception: Advances From the Study of Metacognition. Front. Psychol. 12:723952. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.723952