Disturbances of basic self and prodromal symptoms among non-psychotic help-seeking adolescents

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1365-1376 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Koren ◽  
N. Reznik ◽  
M. Adres ◽  
R. Scheyer ◽  
A. Apter ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe goal of this study was to explore the notion that anomalies of self-experience (ASE) are a core, ‘not-yet-psychotic’ clinical phenotype of emerging schizophrenia and its spectrum.MethodTo accomplish this goal, we examined the relationship between ASE and commonly accepted risk markers in a sample of 87 help-seeking, non-psychotic adolescents (aged 14–18 years). ASE were assessed with the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience (EASE), subclinical psychotic symptoms were assessed with the Prodromal Questionnaire and the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes, deterioration in psychosocial functioning was assessed with the Social and Role Functioning Scales, and level of distress with the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire.ResultsAbout 82 participants completed the entire EASE interview. The number of participants who reported ASE at a clinically meaningful level (n = 18, 22%) was smaller than that who met diagnostic criteria for a prodromal syndrome (n = 28, 34%). The degree of overlap between the two conditions was moderate but statistically significant (χ2(1) = 7.01, p = 0.008). An exploratory factor analysis revealed that ASE load on a different factor than prodromal symptoms and deterioration in functioning, but that there is a moderate correlation between the three factors.ConclusionsThese results suggest that ASE are prevalent among non-psychotic help-seeking adolescents, yet at a considerably lower rate than prodromal symptoms. In addition, they suggest that ASE and prodromal symptoms constitute distinct but moderately related dimensions of potential risk. Taken together, they provide preliminary support for the clinical usefulness of supplementing and refining the methods of early detection of risk with assessment of ASE.

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1128-1128
Author(s):  
F. Schultze-Lutter ◽  
C. Michel ◽  
B. Schimmelmann

ObjectiveIn the discussion of the inclusion of an at-risk syndrome of psychosis in DSM-V, the validity of current at-risk criteria had been questioned based on studies reporting much higher prevalence rates of psychotic-like experiences in general population samples (GPS) compared to psychotic disorders. Thus the 3-month prevalence of at-risk criteria and symptoms in GPS, age 16–35, was assessed by trained clinicians in telephone interviews using established standardized assessments.MethodsOf 85 enrolled persons, 60 persons (70.5%) participated, two of them met exclusion criteria (psychosis, language problems). The 22 psychopathological at-risk symptoms were assessed for their occurrence and severity within the three months prior to the telephone interview using the(i)Schizophrenia Prediction Instrument, Adult version (SPI-A) and(ii)the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS).ResultsOnly one person (1.7%) fulfilled ‘attenuated psychotic symptoms’ (APS)-criteria according to SIPS. At 1.7%, the 3-month prevalence of at-risk criteria was rather low; at 20.7%, the prevalence of sub-threshold at-risk symptoms, however, was much higher. Yet the presence of these sub-threshold symptoms was already associated with lower psychosocial functioning and with psychiatric axis I diagnoses.


Author(s):  
Angelica Carina de Andrade Farias Lima ◽  
Amanda Raquel da França Filgueiras D Amorim

The objective of this research was to identify the relationship between Internal Social Responsibility (RSI) and Internal Organizational Reputation (ROI). It also aims at checking if they are considered sources of competitive advantages for companies. The research used a theoretical basis developed by Pena et al. (2005) for the analysis of RSI through the analysis of 9 indicators, the same used by the Ethos Institute, and Lerner’s (2006) proposal to identify the employees’ perception of the degree of agreement with the ROI, based on the perception of 8 attributes related to company. The research was carried out in the company Antares Comunicação through questionnaires applied to the employees and semi-structured interview conducted with the manager of the Social Responsibility program. The results of the research show a high degree of agreement, an average of 5.5 in relation to the RSI actions developed by the company, as well as an average of 4.9 for the attributes related to ROI. He found through Pearson’s correlation analysis, there is a significant, linear and positive relationship between RSI and ROI. Therefore, according to the Resource Based View (VBR), the two variables, Internal Social Responsibility and Internal Organizational Reputation can be considered sources of competitive advantage for the company.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petya D. Radoeva ◽  
Wanda Fremont ◽  
Kevin M. Antshel ◽  
Wendy R. Kates

AbstractVelocardiofacial syndrome, also known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), is associated with an increased risk of major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. The emergence of psychotic symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia in the general population is often preceded by a premorbid period of poor or worsening social and/or academic functioning. Our current study evaluated premorbid adjustment (via the Cannon–Spoor Premorbid Adjustment Scale [PAS]) and psychotic symptoms (via the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms and the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime Version) in youth with 22q11DS (N = 96), unaffected siblings (N = 40), and community controls (N = 50). The PAS scores indicated greater maladjustment during all developmental periods in individuals with 22q11DS compared to the controls. Many participants with 22q11DS had chronically poor (n = 33) or deteriorating (n = 6) PAS scores. In 22q11DS, chronically poor PAS trajectories and poor childhood and early adolescence academic domain and total PAS scores significantly increased the risk of prodromal symptoms or overt psychosis. Taking into account the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype, the best predictor of (prodromal) psychosis was the early adolescence academic domain score, which yielded higher sensitivity and specificity in the subgroup of youth with 22q11DS and the high-activity (valine) allele. PAS scores may help identify individuals at higher risk for psychosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S241-S242
Author(s):  
Elena De la Serna ◽  
Patricia Camprodon-Boadas ◽  
Gisela Sugranyes ◽  
Carla Torrent ◽  
Brisa Sole ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cognitive Reserve (CR) is defined as the ability of the brain to cope and deal with physiological or pathological brain injuries. In the field of psychiatry, higher levels of CR have been associated with lower levels of psychotic symptoms, higher psycho-social functioning and higher cognitive performance, suggesting that CR should be considered as a protective factor (Barnett et al., 2006; Amoretti et al., 2016). This study aims to compare CR levels in a sample of adolescents and young adult offspring of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who are at high risk of developing these disorders (HR) and compared them with a group of healthy controls (HC). We also assess the utility of CR in predicting clinical and cognitive variables. Methods Participants were 85 HR and 45 HC. A CR proxy was calculated based on premorbid IQ, socio-occupational attainment and social activities. Clinical assessment included: the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Neuropsychological assessment included: Working Memory, Processing Speed, Verbal Memory, attention and executive functioning. A factorial analysis was conducted in order to obtain a single CR measure. Differences between groups in CR were assessed via MANCOVA and linear regressions were conducted to check the effectiveness of CR in predicting clinical and neuropsychological variables. Results No significant differences were observed in age or gender between HR and HC groups. Socioeconomic status was lower in HR subjects (F=8.100, p=0.005).CR was significantly lower in the HR group than in the HC group (F=17.522; p<0.001). Moreover, the CR proxy was able to correctly classify 72.7% of the sample as either HR or HC. Our proxy was able to predict the following clinical variables in the HR group: negative (F=9.269; p=0.002), and total (F=7.290; p=0.009) prodromal symptoms, the YMRS (F=11.597; P<0.001) and the HDRS (F=12.761; p<0.001). In terms of neuropsychological variables, RC predicted WM (F=9.738; p=0.003), PS (F=4.557; p=0.037) and verbal memory [immediate (F=6.999; p=0.010) and delayed recall (F=10.990; P=0.002)] in the HR sample. Discussion HR subjects have lower CR than controls. CR is associated with clinical and neuropsychological variables. To our knowledge no previous studies have assessed CR in high risk samples. Nevertheless, studies conducted in adult first episode psychotic samples have shown an association between CR and the severity of symptoms.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 945-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Wang ◽  
Shun Peng ◽  
Huang Li ◽  
Yunshi Peng

We investigated the relationships among the social stigma associated with depression, somatization of depression-related symptoms, and help seeking. Participants were 357 Chinese undergraduate students. Stigma, somatization, and help seeking were measured with a neuropsychological assessment and validated clinical scales. We performed a path (principal components) analysis of the role of somatization as a mediator in the relationship between depression stigma and help seeking, and found that the hypothesized mediation model fit the data well. Our results confirm previous findings on the mediating role of depression somatization in the relationship between depression stigma and attitude towards help seeking. The identification of mediators contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms that prevent help seeking among Chinese college students.


1994 ◽  
Vol 164 (4) ◽  
pp. 487-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok K. Malla ◽  
Ross M. G. Norman

This paper describes a prospective study of the relationship between non-psychotic prodromal symptoms and psychotic symptoms in 55 schizophrenic (DSM–III–R) out-patients. Once a month, a number of non-psychotic symptoms generally regarded as prodromal symptoms in schizophrenia were assessed, as well as psychotic symptoms, with standardised self-administered instruments and rating scales for a minimum of 12 months (range 12–29). The data were analysed for each patient using a longitudinal correlational design with a 1-month lag between the prodromal and psychotic symptoms over the total period. Results showed that in less than one-fifth of subjects did any of the prodromal symptoms, individually or in combination, show a significantly positive correlation with the subsequent level of psychotic symptoms. Such relationships were significant in an even smaller proportion of subjects when the confounding effect of concurrent psychotic symptoms on prodromal symptoms was partialled out. High levels of prodromal symptoms appeared to have adequate specificity but low sensitivity in their power to predict high levels of subsequent psychotic symptoms. There were no differences in age, gender, medication levels, and the number of previous admissions between the subjects who did or did not show a relationship between putative prodromal symptoms and psychotic symptoms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 38-49
Author(s):  
Niccolò Martini

Voluntary death is a morally and legally grey area in many countries around the world. In my research I studied the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide in Italy. Specifically, I analyzed the relationship between collective law and individual morality using as case study the phenomenon of voluntary death, which has been making people talk about itself in recent years precisely because of its as yet undefined nature. Using a qualitative approach i.e., semi-structured interview, I listened the voices of a representative sample of Italian doctors in order to collect the opinion of the medical class i.e., the social group that would be most affected by the possible legalization of euthanasia. It has emerged, among other things, that Italy lacks a real education to death. The research has opened a reflection on the range of voluntary death within a Nation where it is illegal. Numerous studies have determined the enormous symbolic baggage present within the concept of death, but in the study of the legalization of voluntary death a new factor has emerged: a legalization is not desired until the population receives a real education on the idea of having to die. Like sex, death is still a taboo in many societies around the world. Is it therefore necessary to fulfill a death education before even start to talk about creating a general law. This research has exalted not only a cultural deficiency but also the desire to remedy it through education, in order to exorcise the fear of an event that sooner or later everyone has to face.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S143-S144
Author(s):  
Elena De la Serna ◽  
Gisela Sugranyes ◽  
Daniel Ilzarbe ◽  
Patricia Camprodon ◽  
Inmaculada Baeza ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Recent studies have observed high rates of psychopathology in child and adolescent offspring of patients with schizophrenia (SZoff). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent psychopathology in SZoff (Sanchez-Gistau, et al., 2015). The high prevalence of ADHD observed in SZoff can conceal the vulnerability characteristics specific to schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical characteristics of a sample of child and adolescent SZoff diagnosed with ADHD (SZoff-ADHD) compared to a sample of children with ADHD without a family history of psychotic disorders and a sample of healthy controls. We hypothesize that SZoff-ADHD will show more psychopathology and more prodromal psychotic symptoms than the other two groups. Methods we studied a sample of 22 SZoff-ADHD children, 15 children with ADHD with no familiar history of psychotic disorders and 40 healthy controls (HC) between 6 and 17 years old and we conducted a complete clinical assessment which included: Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Structured interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS) and Global Assessment Functioning (GAF). In order to detect significant differences between groups, multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression models (categorical variables) or multilevel mixed-effect linear regression models (continuous variables) were performed with group as the fixed factor and the fact of having a sibling in the same study (identified by the family number) as the random variable. Results significant differences between groups were found in socio-economic status which was lower in the SZoff-ADHD group than in the other two groups (F=15.886; p<0.001). Moreover the SZoff-ADHD also showed a higher percentage of males (90.9%) compared with the ADHD group (62.5%) and the HC (45%) (F=12.647; p=0.002). No significant age differences between groups were detected. Regarding clinical assessments, the SZoff-ADHD group showed a higher percentage of conduct disorders (F=3.720; p=0.039) than the ADHD group. No significant differences were observed in other psychopathological diagnoses. Furthermore the SZoff-ADHD group also obtained higher scores than the HC group on the following scales: YMRS, positive, negative, general and total sub-scales of the SOPS and lower scores in the GAF. The ADHD group obtained significantly higher scores than the HC group in the sub-scale of SOPS general prodromal symptoms and lower scores on the GAF. Significant differences were detected between SZoff-ADHD and ADHD in the YMRS and the positive and negative sub-scales of the SOPS where the SZoff-ADHD group showed higher scores than the ADHD group. Discussion Compared with the HC group, the SZoff-ADHD displayed more manic, prodromal psychotic symptoms and worse psychosocial functioning. The ADHD group showed an intermediate pattern between the SZoff-ADHD and the HC group, with more general prodromal symptoms and lower psychosocial functioning than the HC group but lower scores than the SZoff-ADHD in the psychotic prodromal symptoms interview.


1996 ◽  
Vol 168 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive E. Adams ◽  
Christos Pantelis ◽  
Peter J. Duke ◽  
Thomas R. E. Barnes

BackgroundThis study surveyed all residents in a hostel for homeless women. Demographic data, and information on past and present psychiatric and social morbidity and current and premorbid cognitive functioning were collected.MethodA four week prevalence study using: SCID–PD; a semi-structured interview; GHQ; SBS; Manchester Scale; MMSE; and NART; the data were analysed using SPSS.ResultsThe women originated from across the social spectrum and disruption of early family life was common. Fifty per cent had a ‘severe mental illness’ and most were not receiving drug treatment. High levels of active psychotic symptoms were present. Women with psychosis had suffered a greater intellectual decline from their premorbid levels of functioning than those without psychosis.ConclusionsThe study affirmed findings of earlier studies employing case-series methodology. Women with high levels of psychiatric morbidity and social dysfunction were being managed by care workers in a way that may promote stability rather than a drift into street-life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler M. Moore ◽  
Deby Salzer ◽  
Carrie E. Bearden ◽  
Monica E. Calkins ◽  
Wendy R. Kates ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pathways leading to psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) have been the focus of intensive research during the last two decades. One of the common clinical risk factors for the evolution of psychosis in 22q11.2DS is the presence of positive and negative subthreshold psychotic symptoms. The gold standard for measuring subthreshold symptoms is the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and its accompanying Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS) ratings. Although the scale has been used by many centers studying 22q11.2DS, the inter-site reliability of the scale in this population has never been established. Methods In the present study, experienced clinical assessors from three large international centers studying 22q11.2DS independently rated video recordings of 18 adolescents and young adults with 22q11.2DS. Results The intraclass correlations coefficients (ICCs) among three raters for the SOPS total scores, as well as for the positive, negative, and disorganization subscale scores, were good-to-excellent (ICCs range 0.73–0.93). The raters were also able to reliably determine the subjects’ subthreshold syndrome status (ICC = 0.71). The reliability of individual items was good-to-excellent for all items, ranging from 0.61 for motor disturbances [G3] to 0.95 for bizarre thinking. Conclusions Our results show that trained clinicians can reliably screen for subthreshold psychotic symptoms in individuals with 22q11.2DS. To increase assessment reliability, we suggest specific clarifications and simplifications to the standard SIPS interview for future studies.


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