Alteraciones del Yo en las fases iniciales del espectro esquizofrénico / Self-disorders in Early Stages of the Schizophrenia Spectrum

RESUMEN El núcleo patogénico de la esquizofrenia ha variado de acuerdo con la época y la influencia de insignes investigadores. También se ha reconocido a las alteraciones del Yo como el eje de este trastorno, aunque están poco estudiadas debido a su naturaleza subjetiva. En los últimos arios, dado el creciente interés por las fases iniciales de la esquizofrenia, se ha retomado el estudio de las alteraciones del Yo. El modelo de las alteraciones del Yo en la esquizofrenia, desarrollado por Sass y Parnas, propone que en este trastorno la persona sufre pérdida de la perspectiva en primera persona y experimenta fenómenos de hiperreflexibilidad, el sentido disminuido del Yo y trastornos del campo de la conciencia. Por ello, experimenta sentimientos de extrañeza de sí mismo, dificultad para entender el sentido común de las cosas y problemas de interacción con el entorno. Con base en este modelo, se han elaborado instrumentos de evaluación de las alteraciones del Yo y se han conducido estudios empíricos para la evaluación de pacientes en riesgo de sufrir un trastorno del espectro esquizofrénico. Estos estudios muestran que las alteraciones del Yo se encuentran en estadios prepsicóticos y que su presencia puede predecir la transición a trastornos del espectro esquizofrénico. Estos resultados tienen importantes implicaciones clínicas, pues permiten identificar a personas en fases iniciales del trastorno y crean la oportunidad de aplicar intervenciones terapéuticas tempranas.

ABSTRACT The pathogenic nucleus of schizophrenia has varied according to the different eras and influences of distinguished clinical researchers. Self-disorders have also been recognised to be at the heart of this disorder, although they have seldom been studied due to their subjective nature. Recently, due to the growing interest in the study of the early stages of schizophrenia, the study of self-disorders has been resumed. The self-disorders in schizophrenia model, developed by Sass and Parnas, proposes that in this disorder the person suffers loss of the first-person perspective and experiences hyperreflexibility, diminished self-affection and disturbance of the field of awareness. Therefore, the person experiences feelings of strangeness about him/herself, difficulty in understanding the common sense of things and difficulty interacting with his/her environment. Based on this model, self-disorder evaluation instruments have been developed and empirical studies have been conducted to evaluate people at risk of developing a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. These studies show that self-disorders are found in prepsychotic stages and that their manifestation may predict the transition to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. These results have important clinical implications as they enable people in the early stages of the disorder to be identified and create the opportunity to apply early therapeutic interventions.

Approaching patients with hyperreflectivity and perplexity: an empirical qualitative investigation / Abordando pacientes com hiper-reflexão e perplexidade: uma investigação qualitativa empírica

Abstract Objective Perplexity and hyperreflectivity are considered important aspects of self-disorders in patients with schizophrenia, yet knowledge of the appropriate psychotherapy for these patients is sparse. We aimed to explore how phenomenological psychologists or psychiatrists described their approach to these patients and their own emotional response when hyperreflectivity and perplexity emerged in therapy or consultations. Methods Four e-mail interviews with experienced clinical researchers within the field of phenomenology and schizophrenia were examined using a double hermeneutic qualitative analysis. Results The informants offered reassurance by authority and the encouragement of sharing of experiences interlaced in the beginning of therapy. Later they went on relating expressions of hyperreflectivity and perplexity to emotions, life events and goals. They described feelings of admiration and professional recognition along with worry, insecurity and sadness. Conclusion The list of primary themes covers what might seem very basic therapeutic interventions. However, the careful and open-minded manner in which these were carried out was noteworthy. The double task of staying closely attuned to the patient's airy reflections and, at the same time, when the patient was ready for it, carefully making links to domains of the patient's everyday life, was clearly molded to patients with fragile attachment.

Resumo Objetivo A perplexidade e a hiper-reflexão são consideradas aspectos importantes dos desordens do self em pacientes com esquizofrenia, porém o conhecimento sobre o tipo mais apropriado de psicoterapia para esses pacientes é escasso. Nosso objetivo foi explorar como psicologistas fenomenológicos ou psiquiatras descrevem suas abordagens a pacientes aos pacientes e sua própria resposta emocional, quando a hiper-reflexão e a perplexidade emergem durante a terapia ou as consultas. Métodos Quatro entrevistas feitas por e-mail com pesquisadores clínicos experientes na área de fenomenologia e esquizofrenia foram examinadas usando análise qualitativa dupla hermenêutica. Resultados Os informantes ofereceram confiança via autoridade e motivação para compartilhar experiências, interligadas, no início da terapia. Subsequentemente, eles seguiram relacionando expressões de hiper-reflexão e perplexidade a emoções, eventos de vida e objetivos. Eles descreveram sentimentos de admiração e reconhecimento profissional juntamente com preocupação, insegurança e tristeza. Conclusão A lista de tópicos primários engloba o que poderiam parecer intervenções terapêuticas muito básicas. No entanto, a forma cuidadosa e aberta como essas intervenções foram conduzidas é digna de nota. A tarefa dupla de estar atento às reflexões aéreas do paciente e, ao mesmo tempo, quando o paciente está pronto, cuidadosamente estabelecer relações com os domínios de sua vida diária, foi claramente moldada para pacientes com vínculo frágil.