Theoretical Perspectives on the Minimal and Narrative Self in the Schizophrenia Spectrum: An Integrative Review.
Florestan Delcourt, Henry R Cowan, Jordan Sibéoni, Mélissa C Allé, Andreas C R Rasmussen, Rosa Ritunnano, Anne Giersch, Fabian Lo Monte, Jérôme Englebert, Bernard Pachoud
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science 2026 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.70023 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Meaning‐making Narrativity Psychosis Systematic review |
| Key findings | Three theoretical models—Structural, Dialectical, and Contextual—describe potential links between minimal and narrative self-disturbances in schizophrenia, but empirical evidence directly testing these mechanisms remains scarce and preliminary. |
Abstract
The self and its disorders in schizophrenia have been studied extensively over recent decades. Much of this literature is grounded in a bipartite understanding of the self, distinguishing the pre-reflective, minimal self from the reflective, narrative self. However, few studies have systematically examined the links between disturbances at these two levels of self. This integrative review addresses this gap by analyzing both theoretical and empirical contributions. Three theoretical models are described. The Structural model posits that minimal self-disorders hierarchically give rise to narrative self-disturbances and the schizophrenia phenotype, with a primarily pathogenic focus. The Dialectical model emphasizes reciprocal interactions between minimal and narrative self-disturbances, generating the schizophrenia phenotype with both pathogenic and salutogenic implications. The Contextual model highlights social, territorial, and biological dimensions of the self and its disorders in context. Empirical studies specifically addressing the mechanistic links between minimal and narrative self-disturbances remain scarce and preliminary. Overall, the literature appears preliminary and occasionally speculative, yet it suggests several promising avenues for future research and clinically relevant applications. This article is categorized under: Philosophy > Consciousness Psychology > Theory and Methods.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The brain in flow: A systematic review on the neural basis of the flow state. Participants in studies measuring or manipulating flow state with brain activity recording | 2022 | Systematic review | n = 471 |
| Synergistic, multi-level understanding of psychedelics: three systematic reviews and meta-analyses of their pharmacology, neuroimaging and phenomenology. | 2024 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| Evidence synthesis indicates contentless experiences in meditation are neither truly contentless nor identical Expert texts from Shamatha, Transcendental, and Stillness Meditation traditions | 2022 | Systematic review | n = 135 |
| Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) use in severe mental illness (SMI) patients: Potential changes in the phenomenology of psychiatric diseases Patients with severe mental illness (SMI), such as psychotic patients | 2017 | Systematic review | |
| Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. | 2024 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 22
- The lived experience of psychosis: a bottom-up review co-written by experts by experience and academics. World Psychiatry June 1, 2022
- Philosophy of psychiatry: theoretical advances and clinical implications. World Psychiatry June 1, 2024
- Disordered Selfhood in Schizophrenia and the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience: Accumulated Evidence and Experience. Psychopathology 2021
- The phenomenological nature of schizophrenia and disorder of selfhood. Schizophrenia Research August 1, 2024
- Examination of self patterns: framing an alternative phenomenological interview for use in mental health research and clinical practice. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
and 17 more in the library