Mindfulness groups for people experiencing distressing psychosis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
| Published date | 22 March 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/13619321311310096 |
| Pages | 32-43 |
| Date | 22 March 2013 |
| Author | Laura Dennick,Andrew P. Fox,Alison Walter‐Brice |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Mindfulness groups for people experiencing
distressing psychosis: an interpretative
phenomenological analysis
Laura Dennick, Andrew P. Fox and Alison Walter-Brice
Abstract
Purpose – There is an increasingly active area of research indicating that interventions incorporating
mindfulnesscan be beneficialfor individualsdistressed byexperiences of psychosis.However,there is little
qualitativeinformationregarding clients’experiencesof mindfulness groups.This paper aims to fill this gap.
Design/methodology/approach – To explore the subjective experience of mindfulness groups for
people experiencing distressing psychosis. Three participants, who had attended a mindfulness for
psychosis group, were interviewed and data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological
Analysis.
Findings – Four main themes were identified: ‘ ‘experiencing distress’’, ‘‘group as beneficial’’,
‘‘mindfulness as beneficial’’, and ‘‘mindfulness groups as part of the process of recovery’’.
Originality/value – The mindfulness groups appeared to support participants’ journeys of recovery
through: promoting choice and control in relating differently to distress; providing space to socially
construct shared meanings; and enhancing a sense of agency in ‘‘moving on’’.
Keywords Psychosis; Mindfulness; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Recovery
Paper type Research paper
Background
Psychosishas been defined as: ‘‘experiences such as hearing voices other people do not hear,
seeingor sensing things other people do not see or sense,holding unusual beliefs (‘delusions’)
or beliefs about the malevolent intention of others which seem unwarranted (‘paranoia’)’’
(Thornhillet al., 2004, p. 181). There arecurrently a range of psychologicalinterventions offered
to people experiencing psychosis(e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy; Chadwick et al., 1996)
with the practice of mindfulness currently receiving more attention (Chadwick et al., 2005;
Pe
´rez-A
´lvarez et al., 2008).
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness has been defined as ‘‘[t]he awareness that emerges through paying attention on
purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience
moment by moment’’ (Kabat-Zinn, 2003, p. 144). A guiding principle of mindfulness suggests
that when an individual becomes ‘‘caught up’’ in analysing or judging experiences,
distress can arise (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). Through addressing the relationship one has with
experiences, by letting go of habitual reactions andallowing present experiences to come into
awareness and then pass, distress may be alleviated (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). In a meta-review of
21 studies, Baer (2003) suggested that mindfulness-based interventions may be helpful in
coping with a range of difficulties, such as anxiety and depression.
Why apply mindfulness to experiences of psychosis?
Chadwick (2006) suggests that the distress from psychosis is not a direct result of the
psychotic experience itself, but of the way in which an individual relates to their experience.
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MENTAL HEALTHREVIEW JOURNAL
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VOL. 18 NO. 1 2013, pp. 32-43, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1361-9322 DOI 10.1108/13619321311310096
Laura Dennick,
Andrew P.Fox and
Alison Walter-Brice all are
based at Birmingham and
Solihull Mental Health NHS
Foundation Trust,
Birmingham, UK.
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