Psychopathology Lab

Dr. Seth A. Brown

I currently have a number of psychopathology research projects underway, which are described below.

Non-Suicidal Self Injury

Although previously thought to be a behavior only exhibited by those with severe mental illnesses, non-suicidal self injury (NSSI) is now known to be more common among the population. For example, an estimated one-quarter of college students have engaged in some form of NSSI. Surprisingly, the majority function independently and appear to be "well adjusted" in most aspects of their lives. The question remains as to why a large proportion of relatively well adjusted individuals engage in NSSI? Current research focuses on a number of variables among those who engage in NSSI.

Auditory Hallucinations

The impact of auditory hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices) on individuals differ, ranging from beneficial to harmful.  The unique influence of auditory hallucinations (in the absence of other aspects of a given psychiatric disorder) is not understood and the ability to cope varies substantially. Some individuals are able to ignore their auditory hallucinations and function well, whereas others are severely disabled. The general purpose of this research is to examine the impact of auditory hallucinations in the absence of a severe psychiatric disorder.

Paranoia

Recent studies have shown that low levels of paranoia are fairly common among the population.  To date, we don't fully understand the causes, structure, and consequences of "subclinical" paranoia among the general population. Given that one-fourth of the population express paranoia, how does this affect their lives and the lives of others around them? This research looks at the role of paranoia among those in the general population.