Texas Early Assessment Lab
seeks to improve our ability to identify, prevent, and treat psychosis
Artwork credit: “Night” by Michelle Hammer of Schizophrenic.NYC https://www.schizophrenic.nyc/
At the Texas Early Assessment Lab, the ultimate goal of our research is to improve our ability to identify, prevent, and treat psychosis.
Our research aims to improve the assessment of psychosis and psychosis risk by using advanced statistical techniques to:
- Examine the construct validity of risk-for-psychosis assessment instruments
- Explore the role of race and ethnicity in the measurement and diagnosis of psychopathology
- Develop and implement assessment and treatment programs for early psychosis
Our research focuses on understanding psychosis risk mechanisms, specifically exploring two components in social-cognitive models: aberrant salience (misattribution of significance to stimuli, linked to dopamine dysregulation) and self-processing (how individuals process self-related information).
- Examining the relations among aberrant salience, self-relevant information processing and psychotic symptoms.
- Understanding the role of self-relevant information processing in common social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
*Dr. Cicero plans to accept a graduate student for the 2025-2026 application cycle