1st Edition
A Psychological Understanding of Criticism and Mental Health From Theory to Practice
Introduction
Chapter 1. Expressed emotion in family members of individuals with severe mental illnesses
Chapter 2. An experimental paradigm to measure sensitivity to criticism and its relationship with mental health
Chapter 3. Sensitivity to criticism in relation to children’s theory of mind and functioning at school
Chapter 4. Cultural variations in the perception of criticism
Chapter 5. Criticism as a conditional stimulus and its link to the brain reward system
Chapter 6. Treatment approaches for reducing criticism and expressed emotion in families with serious mental illness
Chapter 7. Depict VR: a virtual-reality intervention for hearing voices and addressing perceived criticism in close relationships
Chapter 8. Conclusion and future directions for studying criticism and mental health
Biography
Preethi Premkumar is a psychologist, a neuroscientist and an expert in anxiety in family relationships and other social contexts. She also designs digital mental health applications to improve relationships.
'We are all more sensitive to negativity than the positives in life, and this is more likely at times of stress and mental ill health. This book on Criticism looks in detail at the research on how we can be affected by negative comments from others, particularly when there are ongoing serious mental health problems and explains clearly what we know and the mechanisms that underlie our emotional and neurological responses. Helpfully, the chapters are threaded with suggestions about how these might be mitigated, and how negativity might be managed and reduced to improve our relationships.'
Professor Elizabeth Kuipers, OBE, NIHR Senior Investigator Emerita, leading clinical psychologist and expert in family intervention and cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis
'Criticism is central to the mental health of us all. We know that helping families approach their loved ones without criticism can protect people from breaking down, including those with severe mental ill-health such as schizophrenia. This excellent book explores the role of criticism in relationships and the social, cultural, educational, biological and behavioural explanations of the response to criticism - an outstanding contribution to the importance of criticism in mental health, with a ton of research to back it up. The book also gives really useful suggestions on how to handle criticism and be more constructive in our daily communication. A really valuable contribution, useful for academics and practitioners alike.'
Professor Tim Kendall, CBE DUniv MD (Hons) FRCPsyc, national clinical lead for new models of mental health care within NHS England
