Rhodes JE, O'Neill ND, Nel PW. Psychosis and sexual abuse: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Clin Psychol Psychother 2018;
25:540-549. [PMID:
29575483 DOI:
10.1002/cpp.2189]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate the first-person perspective of psychosis sufferers who survived childhood sexual abuse.
METHODS
Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to explore the experiences of 7 women with a history of sexual abuse and psychosis.
RESULTS
Analysis generated six themes: (a) degradation of self, interlinking shame, guilt, and sometimes disgust; (b) body-self entrapment, experiencing bodily constraint and distortion; (c) a sense of being different to others, involving interpersonal problems; (d) unending struggle and depression, a pervasive sense of defeat; (e) psychotic condemnations and abuse, describing psychotic phenomena related to harm and sexual abuse; and (f) perception of links to the past, the links made from past abuse to current functioning.
CONCLUSION
Participants suffered extreme psychological, physical, and interpersonal difficulties past and present. Psychotic experiences reported exhibited themes of condemnation by external entities and reflected the topic of sexual abuse. Participants did not generally link psychosis to their past abusive experiences.
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