Qualitative research on the psychotic experience within the schizophrenia spectrum from the perspective of phenomenological psychopathology: A systematic review

A significant portion of the research conducted by phenomenological psychopathology on the experience and its disturbances within the schizophrenia spectrum is carried out through philosophical and conceptual work. With regard to empirical research, qualitative methodologies are often considered the most appropriate and consistent with the phenomenological spirit. However, the translation from the philosophical to the empirical level remains a subject of debate and should not be taken as self-evident. Given this context, the following question arises: How is the approach of phenomenological psychopathology characterized in the qualitative study of the psychotic experience within the schizophrenia spectrum? Articles were retrieved from the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases, and selected using the PRISMA method, resulting in a total of 24 publications. The findings reveal the predominance of the psychopathological model of self-disorders in the conceptualization of the psychotic experience and its disturbances. The methodological aspects of qualitative access to the psychotic experience are examined, including their limitations and advantages. Finally, the review highlights how the findings contribute to therapeutic interventions and to an approach to the psychotic experience that is consistent with the principles of phenomenological psychopathology.