Preface to the EAWE Portuguese version: A case for a new era of phenomenological psychopathology in psychiatry and clinical psychology

Elizabeth Pienkos,Guilherme Messas

doi:10.37067/rpfc.v7i2.969

Abstract

This special issue presents a Portuguese translation of the EAWE: Examination of Anomalous World Experience (Sass et al., this issue; original publication Sass et al., 2017). The EAWE is a semi-structured, phenomenologically-oriented interview designed to elicit descriptions of changes in the lived world, particularly those that may be more commonly found in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (though it may also be used to study disorders outside the schizophrenia spectrum). The EAWE represents an important trend in psychiatric research and practice: a growing appreciation for the role of subjectivity in understanding, explaining (Sass, 2010), classifying and treating psychiatric disorders, especially complex and heterogeneous disorders such as schizophrenia. The EAWE’s translation into Portuguese reflects several equally important developments. The ability to collect detailed information about the experience of schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions among Portuguese-speaking participants will make it possible to study the phenomenological characteristics of schizophrenia outside of Anglophone cultures, providing important data about the intersections of individual, interpersonal, and cultural experiences in the development of the disorder. In addition, it occurs at a time of renewed energy and collaboration in phenomenological psychopathology, particularly in Brazil.

Highlights

This special issue presents a Portuguese translation of the EAWE: Examination of Anomalous World Experience (Sass et al, this issue; original publication Sass et al, 2017)
The EAWE considers six crucial domains of world experience, all of which tend to be altered in schizophrenia: Space and objects, Time and events, Other persons, Language, Atmosphere, and Existential orientation. (Further discussion of the forms of experience in schizophrenia of each of these domains can be found in the six ancillary articles to the EAWE in the special issue of Psychopathology [Sass, Pienkos, & Fuchs, 2017] devoted to the interview.) It was developed to complement the EASE: Examination of Anomalous Self
In addition to its use as an interview tool, the EAWE is designed to illustrate the range of anomalous experiences that may occur in schizophrenia, to sensitize researchers and clinicians to features that are not commonly included in contemporary diagnostic and assessment methods, and to facilitate the discussion of these aspects with those who suffer from schizophrenia

Summary

Introduction

This special issue presents a Portuguese translation of the EAWE: Examination of Anomalous World Experience (Sass et al, this issue; original publication Sass et al, 2017). (Further discussion of the forms of experience in schizophrenia of each of these domains can be found in the six ancillary articles to the EAWE in the special issue of Psychopathology [Sass, Pienkos, & Fuchs, 2017] devoted to the interview.) It was developed to complement the EASE: Examination of Anomalous Self

Results

Conclusion