Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Psychotic disorders affect approximately 1,065,500 Canadians and cost nearly $20 billion dollars in direct and indirect costs yearly. Individuals with psychosis suffer from debilitating impairments in real world functioning which are responsible for indirect costs (twice that of direct treatment costs) of psychosis. Social exclusion is one of the most challenging barriers to functional recovery faced by people with psychosis, but has been overlooked in severe mental illness. The goal of the current study is two-fold: 1) to understand characteristics of the patient and their healthy interaction partner that increase the likelihood of the individual with psychosis being socially excluded; and 2) to demonstrate the neurobiological and psychophysiological effects of social exclusion. Study 1 will consist of individuals with psychosis interacting with two healthy controls while exclusionary behaviours are coded. All participants will be assessed on measures that have been independently suggested to effect social exclusion. Pathways to social exclusion will be examined based on characteristics of both the healthy and psychotic individuals. Study 2 will use the same paradigm as Study 1, except instead of healthy controls, 2 confederates will interact with the individual with psychosis and will slowly increase the degree to which the individual with psychosis is excluded from the interaction. EEG will be recorded pre- and post- interaction to examine changes in EEG alpha power. Slow wave EEG, and heart rate and electrodermal activity will be recorded in response to exclusion events during the interaction. Given the failure of current treatment and stigma reduction efforts to adequately improve community functioning and reduce social exclusion, this study is poised to make contributions at multiple levels of the pathways leading to social exclusion. These findings will promote new mechanisms for improving community functioning and reducing the economic burden of disease.