Gooding, PA, Littlewood, D, Owen, R et al. (2 more authors) (2019) Psychological resilience in people experiencing schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Journal of Mental Health, 28 (6). pp. 597-603. ISSN 0963-8237
Abstract
Background: Negative stressors can aggravate the impact of schizophrenia. However, some people find ways of combating such stressors. There is a dearth of research examining factors which enable individuals with schizophrenia to show psychological resilience.
Aims: The goal of this study was to investigate resilience to negative stressors in people with disorders on the schizophrenia spectrum using a qualitative methodology.
Methods: Data were collected from 23 participants who had experienced schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Semi-structured interviews followed a topic guide. Participants were asked (i) what resilience meant to them, (ii) which stressors they had experienced over 12 months and (iii) how they had counteracted those stressors. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify re-occurring themes across interviews.
Results: A continuum of psychological mechanisms described participants’ views about the meaning of resilience which ranged from passive acceptance to resistance (e.g. withstanding pressure), and then to active strategies to counter stressors (e.g. confronting). These themes were also evident in narratives expressing personal resilience strategies but, additionally, included emotional coping techniques. External factors were highlighted that supported resilience including social support, reciprocity and religious coping.
Conclusions: People with schizophrenia develop ways of being resilient to negative events which should inform therapeutic interventions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Mental Health on 28 February 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09638237.2017.1294742. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | schizophrenia; psychosis; psychological resilience; qualitative methods; stressors |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 08 Mar 2017 12:17 |
Last Modified: | 06 Dec 2019 15:49 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2017.1294742 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/09638237.2017.1294742 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:113315 |