The psychological effect of an urban environment on individuals with persecutory delusions: The Camberwell walk study —Ellet, 2007

This is a brief audio review of the article on the psychological effect of an urban environment on individuals with persecutory delusions: the Camberwell walk study by Lyn Ellett. Epidemiological studies have found that individuals living in urban areas are at increased risk of developing psychosis, but it is unknown whether exposure to urban environments exacerbates psychotic symptoms. This study examined the psychological and clinical effects of exposure to one specifically deprived urban environment on individuals with persecutory delusions. Results showed that exposure to the urban environment, rather than participation in a mindfulness task, increased levels of anxiety, negative beliefs about others and jumped to conclusions, leading to increased paranoia. It was also found that spending time in an urban environment makes people think more negatively about other people and increases anxiety and reasoning bias, which further research is needed to clarify which aspects of urban environments cause the negative effects. This is the end of this informational audio track on the psychological effect of an urban environment on individuals with persecutory delusions: the Camberwell walk study.

Ellett L, Freeman D, Garety PA. The psychological effect of an urban environment on individuals with persecutory delusions: the Camberwell walk study. Schizophr Res. 2008 Feb;99(1-3):77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2007.10.027. Epub 2007 Dec 3. PMID: 18061407.