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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
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Abstract

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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.