Seven-step phenomenological therapy for self-disorders in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions
Official title: Seven-step Phenomenological Psychotherapy for Self-disorder - a Pilot Study
Run by Oslo University Hospital · NCT06597864 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot will try a seven-step psychotherapy to help adults with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders or early psychosis who experience disturbances in their sense of self.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 39 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 8 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Oslo University Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Sandvika, Bærum and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 17, 2024 |
| Main results expected | March 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | March 1, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | December 9, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06597864 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with an ICD-10 non-affective psychotic diagnosis (schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, or related) diagnosed within the past three years, or those meeting psychosis-risk criteria, who present anomalous self-experiences and are motivated to work on them in Norwegian-language psychotherapy are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with severe ongoing psychosis, severe active substance abuse, IQ below 70, or insufficient Norwegian language proficiency are unlikely to benefit or be eligible for this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The trial tests a manualized Seven-Step Phenomenological Psychotherapy for Self-Disorder (SSPP-SD) delivered as 14 individual sessions over 7–10 weeks, beginning with a semi-structured EASE interview. Therapy emphasizes phenomenological exploration of anomalous self-experiences, psychoeducation, and joint development of new meanings and understandings related to those experiences. The study uses a qualitative, phenomenological design with in-depth interviews after treatment to capture how participants experienced the therapy, its acceptability, and perceived changes in self-experience and relationships. Findings are descriptive and intended to guide refinement of the manual and design of future controlled trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the therapy could reduce distress and improve sense of self, daily functioning, and relationships for people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
How similar studies have gone: There are few prior empirical studies specifically targeting self-disorders, so this phenomenological, manualized approach is largely novel and not yet widely tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnoses in the ICD-10-CM Code range, i.e. schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders. First diagnosed no more than 3 years ago. * Or Psychosis risk syndrome as defined in the Structured Interview of Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) (McGlashan, Walsh, \& Woods, 2010) * Present with anomalous self-experiences, as confirmed by the Screen Questionnaire for EASE (SQuEASE-6) (Møller, 2018) * Motivated to explore and work with anomalous self-experiences in psychotherapy Exclusion Criteria: * Severe, ongoing psychosis * Severe, ongoing drug abuse * IQ\<70 * Poor Norwegian language profiency
Where it's running
-
Bærum DPS
Sandvika, Bærum, Norway Recruiting -
Akershus University Hospital
Oslo, Norway Completed
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tor Gunnar Værnes, Dr.philos. — Oslo University Hospital, Early Intervention in Psychosis Advisory Unit for South-East Norway
- Study coordinator: Tor Gunnar Værnes, Dr.philos.
- Email: uxvrnt@ous-hf.no
- Phone: 0047 92 45 56 78
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Examining the effects of combined therapy for schizophrenia
This study is testing whether combining two therapies, one for managing thoughts and another for improving cognitive skills, can help people with schizophrenia do better in their daily lives compared to using just one of the therapies.
-
State Representation in Early Psychosis 2
This observational study tests how people with early psychosis and healthy individuals use state information during tasks and how brain activity supports it.
-
Recovery-oriented suicide prevention for young people at clinical high risk for psychosis
This program tests a peer-supported, clinician-led suicide prevention group for young people at clinical high risk for psychosis to see if it helps reduce suicidal thoughts and support recovery.
-
Combined brain stimulation and yoga for improving cognition in psychosis
This study tests whether active brain stimulation plus yoga can improve thinking skills and daily function in adults with psychosis.
-
See if an early-detection program reduces time to treatment for first-episode psychosis
We test whether a large, region-wide early-detection program can shorten the time from first psychotic symptoms to treatment and help people function better later.
-
Cerebellar imaging markers to predict antipsychotic response in first-episode psychosis
This will test whether cerebellar brain scans can predict how people with first-episode psychosis respond to 12 weeks of treatment with risperidone or aripiprazole.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.