Theoretical Perspectives on the Minimal and Narrative Self in the Schizophrenia Spectrum: An Integrative Review.

Disturbances of the self in schizophrenia are often described at two levels: a pre-reflective, minimal sense of self and a reflective, narrative self. This integrative review examines how these two levels may be linked. Three theoretical models are presented: the Structural model, which suggests minimal self-disorders hierarchically cause narrative disturbances and the schizophrenia phenotype; the Dialectical model, which emphasizes reciprocal interactions between the two levels with both pathogenic and salutogenic effects; and the Contextual model, which considers social, territorial, and biological dimensions. Empirical studies directly testing these links are scarce and preliminary. The literature suggests promising directions for future research and clinical applications.

Study at a glance

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.