The majority of people with psychosis and a substantial minority of the healthy population report psychotic-like anomalous experiences, such as hearing voices. What factors determine whether such experiences lead to a pathological or benign outcome? Are the psychological processes identified by cognitive models of psychosis involved in leading to a ‘need-for-care’? How can research involving individuals with psychotic experiences who do not cross the psychosis threshold inform psychological interventions for psychosis?

These are the questions we are seeking to address in the UNIQUE research group. A range of studies involving people who experience persistent, full-blown psychotic experiences but are not in need of care, are being carried out. These individuals are an ideal group for identifying both potential risk and protective factors in the development of psychosis. As therapists, we have much to learn from this unique group, who can help us to pinpoint what psychological processes are at play in keeping anomalous experiences benign.

Read a summary by Prof. Emmanuelle Peters of the history of psychological therapies for psychosis, and how this population can inform these developments here. 

See short videos below of talks on the differences and similarities between healthy and distressed voice-hearers.

The people in this group have collaborated with Prof. Emmanuelle Peters on UNIQUE and other projects.