Anomalous Self Experiences Outside Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Anomalous Self-Experiences (ASE) are probably the most important contemporary conceptual and empirical research topic in the field Psychopathology of Schizophrenia. The set of these subjective phenomena constitute particular traits of schizophrenic subjects which were shown to be present in the first episode of psychosis, in prodromal and in Ultra-High-Risk states. Outstandingly, such enquiries have raised the standard of the psychopathological examination and endorsed reconsidering that subjective phenomena might increase validity of a psychiatric category without sacrificing reliability. They include changes in thought, self and bodily experience, reality contact and existential orientation. The keynote explored new ways of ASE’s symbolization as is the case of Truman Symptoms and abnormal bodily experiences subsets in Ultra-High-Risk subjects. Also, it further isolated ASE in new settings such as anxiety disorders. The keynote presented the results of three studies including two studies in Ultra-High-Risk subjects and in Panic Disorder subjects characterizing their profile and considering possible differences from schizophrenia. All of them aim to be a necessary first step to sanction a new set of enquiries contemplating other subjective phenomena that might occur in schizophrenia and recognizing the possible role of addressing subjectivity in determining psychopathology of other disorders.