This evening the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and the Northern Ireland Branch of the British Psychological Society (NIBPS) will host a series of lectures on schizophrenia to mark World Mental Health Day at RCSI.

The three lectures, entitled ‘Living with Schizophrenia' are open free of charge to the public and will take place from 7pm in the Cheyne Lecture Theatre at the College at 123 St Stephen's Green.

With schizophrenia affecting around 26 million people around the world, these talks will shine some light on environmental factors which may contribute to the mental health illness, as well as examining the impact that schizophrenia can have on how a person functions and on their quality of life. Results will also be presented from the EOLAS Project, the aim of which was to develop, deliver and evaluate a mental health information programme on recovery from the experience of enduring mental health difficulties, including schizophrenia, for users of services and family members.

The lecture will be divided into three different areas with each area being presented by a distinguished psychologist:

• Dr Mary Clarke (Department of Psychology, RCSI) will present ‘Familial and Environmental Risk Factors for Major Mental Illness' at 7pm;
• Dr Sarah Clarke (Beaumont Hospital) will present ‘Social cognition difficulties in schizophrenia: Impact on functioning and quality of life' at 7.30pm;
• Professor David Hevey (Trinity College Dublin) will present ‘The EOLAS project: evaluating a collaborative peer and clinician-led information programme for recovery from enduring mental health difficulties for users of services and family members/friends' at 8pm.

The PSI's Division of Health Psychology has been instrumental in the organisation of the public lecture and feels that, while schizophrenia is not traditionally an area that health psychologists have involvement, health psychology principles could be especially useful for people who have such conditions which require self-management.

Dr Frank Doyle, Chair of the PSI's Division of Health Psychology and lecturer at RCSI's Department of Psychology, said: “Health psychology may be an unfamiliar area to people who are more used to thinking about psychologists whose focus is the treatment of mental health difficulties. Health psychology is concerned with how psychological, social, environmental and biological factors influence health, irrespective of whether people have mental health problems or not. It is, therefore, a privilege to hold this joint PSI/ NIBPS event in RCSI for World Mental Health Day with these speakers whose talks span the development, self-management and social aspects of schizophrenia and indeed other related conditions.”