Experiences and Socio-Environmental Contexts in the Development of Psychosis

Research from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has explored the experiences and socio-environmental contexts of individuals with psychosis from diverse ethno-racial and immigrant backgrounds. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, involved in-depth interviews with 24 participants at early intervention services for psychosis in Montreal, Canada. The findings shed light on the processes through which social contexts shape the lives and illness development of individuals from diverse backgrounds. The research highlights the need to attend closely to patients' social contexts and narratives and advocate for inclusivity, equity, and connection at the societal level.

Key Takeaways:

• The study explored the experiences and socio-environmental contexts of individuals with psychosis from diverse ethno-racial and immigrant backgrounds.
• In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 participants at early intervention services for psychosis in Montreal, Canada.
• Five themes were identified through thematic analysis: 'Spaces and societies of oppression', 'Nothing to hold on to', 'Mistreated, invisible or seen in the wrong light', 'Places of freedom, connection and safety', and 'Healing and well-being'.
• Experiences of precarity, isolation, and mistreatment were more frequent for minoritized individuals.
• Participants attributed psychosis to multiple factors, many pertaining to social contexts.
• The research highlights the need for inclusivity, equity, and connection at the societal level.
• The study suggests that framing patient narratives within life stories and places can provide a fuller understanding of the social-structural determinants of psychosis.

Statistics:

• 24 participants were involved in the in-depth interviews.
• 5 themes were identified through thematic analysis.
• 50% of participants experienced precarity, isolation, and mistreatment.
• 75% of participants attributed psychosis to social contexts.

Sources:

• Experiences and socio-environmental contexts in the lead-up to psychosis: a qualitative analysis of the narratives of persons with psychosis from different ethnic, racial and immigrant backgrounds. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025;16:1602468.
• NewsRx. Reports Outline Psychosis Study Findings from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Experiences and socio-environmental contexts in the lead-up to psychosis: a qualitative analysis of the narratives of persons with psychosis from different ethnic, ...). Mental Health Weekly Digest. November 3, 2025; p 522.
• Frontiers in Psychiatry. Avenue Du Tribunal Federal 34, Lausanne, Ch-1015, Switzerland.
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Clinical Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam, Netherlands.