What is it about?
In this paper, we examined how psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), including things like hearing one's name being called when no one is around or seeing shadowy figures out of the corner of one's eye, are related to perceived need for mental health care, interest in care, and barriers to care. This was explored using a newly-developed measure of mental health care utilization, the MHCU-Q.
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Why is it important?
PLEs are just one of several factors that may impact individuals' mental health care utilization decision making. This study finds that individuals with PLEs are more likely than their peers without PLEs to report feeling a need for mental health care and that others in their lives also think they may benefit from mental health care. However, barriers like stigma may get in the way. These results may improve early identification and intervention efforts for those with PLEs before these experiences become more severe and impairing.
Perspectives
This study highlights modifiable barriers to care, like stigma, and provides the foundation for interventions meant to address these barriers, such as stigma-reduction campaigns. In addition, this study highlights that PLEs are just one of many factors that likely impact mental health care utilization for those at elevated risk for psychosis.
Miranda Bridgwater
University of California Irvine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Impact of Psychotic-Like Experiences on Perceived Need for Mental Health Care, Interest in Care, and Barriers to Care, Psychiatric Services, November 2025, American Psychiatric Association,
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20240419.
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