Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-kn6lq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-21T01:57:03.629Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Stability of psychotic-like experiences over 6 months in a clinical sample of non-psychotic young people

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

K Baker ,
A Brown ,
G Baksheev ,
J Buckby ,
A Yung  and
E Cosgrave
K Baker
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
A Brown
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
G Baksheev
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
J Buckby
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
A Yung
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
E Cosgrave
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Information

Type
Abstracts from ‘Brainwaves’— The Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research Annual Meeting 2006, 6–8 December, Sydney, Australia
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 18 , Issue 6 , December 2006 , pp. 240 - 241
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard

Background:

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) increase the risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, yet are common in the community. Not everybody who experiences PLEs develops a psychotic disorder. It is important to understand the way in which the presence of PLEs is a risk factor for the development of a psychotic disorder. The aims of this study were 1) to determine the prevalence of PLEs in a clinical sample of non-psychotic young people; 2) to investigate the stability of these PLEs over a 6-month period and 3) to examine the associations between PLEs, psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial functioning.

Methods:

Consecutive referrals to a youth psychiatric service (n = 140) were assessed to measure PLEs, psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial functioning. These assessments were undertaken at the time of referral, 3 and 6 months. The PLE data were factor analyzed to determine whether there were different subtypes of these experiences. The associations between PLEs, psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial functioning were also examined.

Results:

Almost all of the sample (98.6%) reported experiencing at least one of the PLEs at least ‘sometimes’ in their lifetime. PLEs were also highly prevalent at 3 and 6 months. Three subtypes of PLEs were identified: bizarre experiences, persecutory ideas and magical thinking. Bizarre experiences and persecutory ideas were associated with poor functioning.

Conclusions:

Bizarre experiences and persecutory ideas may be more malignant forms of psychotic symptoms as they are associated with current disability and may confer increased risk of development of full-blown psychotic disorder.