Personality Traits and Disorders in Adolescents at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis: Toward a Clinically Meaningful Diagnosis

Clinical utility of the at-risk for psychosis state beyond transition: A multidimensional network analysis

To be relevant to healthcare systems, the clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) concept should denote a specific (i.e., unique) clinical population and provide useful information to guide the choice of intervention. The current study applied network analyses to examine the clinical specificities of CHR-P youths compared to general help-seekers and non-CHR-P youth. 146 CHR-P (mean age = 14.32 years) and 103 non-CHR-P (mean age = 12.58 years) help-seeking youth were recruited from a neuropsychiatric unit and assessed using the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes, Children's Depression Inventory, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, Global Functioning: Social, Global Functioning: Role, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children/Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The first network structure comprised the entire help-seeking sample (i.e., help-seekers network), the second only CHR-P patients (i.e., CHR-P network), and the third only non-CHR-P patients (i.e., non-CHR-P network). In the help-seekers network, each variable presented at least one edge. In the CHR-P network, two isolated "archipelagos of symptoms" were identified: (a) a subgraph including functioning, anxiety, depressive, negative, disorganization, and general symptoms; and (b) a subgraph including positive symptoms and the intelligence quotient. In the non-CHR-P network, positive symptoms were negatively connected to functioning, disorganization, and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms were less connected in the CHR-P network, indicating a need for specific interventions alongside those treating comorbid disorders. The findings suggest specific clinical characteristics of CHR-P youth to guide the development of tailored interventions, thereby supporting the clinical utility of the CHR-P concept.

At-risk mental states and personality traits: A cluster analysis approach on a group of help-seeking young adults

INTRODUCTION

Research on the relationship between personality and psychosis onset is growing, with the goal of preventing or intervening early in patients' vulnerability. The identification of individuals with at-risk mental states has enabled the development of early intervention strategies, such as Programma 2000, a youth mental health service that was implemented in Milan (Italy).

AIMS

Focusing on the 18-25 age range-the time window with the highest incidence of psychotic onset-this study aims to identify the personality traits that may characterize the at-risk mental states and the social functioning of a group of help-seeking young adults.

METHODS

The sample includes 169 people (48.5% males and 51.5% females). Data were collected during an initial assessment that comprised the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5, the Checklist ERIraos and a clinical session.

RESULTS

Results identified a three-cluster solution based on the Checklist scores: Cluster 1 'Not at psychotic risk'; Cluster 2 'At intermediate risk'; Cluster 3 'With psychotic onset'. The multivariate analysis of the variance of personality traits shows significant differences among the clusters in negative affect, detachment and disinhibition. Higher scores in these traits may distinguish individuals, not at psychotic risk from those at intermediate risk or with psychotic onset. Moreover, social functioning was found to be negatively associated with clusters of psychotic risk.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study highlighted the need to evaluate personalized interventions targeting such personality traits that could prevent psychotic transition and promote psychological well-being.

Mentalizing in individuals with state and trait risk for psychosis: a systematic review

Background

Mentalization is an umbrella concept defined as the ability to interpret one's and others' mental states. Previous studies have hypothesized that mentalization may be a crucial resilience factor that significantly moderates the likelihood of developing psychotic disorders in individuals with both state and trait risk factors for the illness.

Purpose

The study reviews the role of mentalizing abilities (e.g., reflective functioning, Theory of Mind (ToM), and metacognition) in young adults with At-Risk Mental States (ARMS) and schizotypal traits. Specifically, the objective is to include articles that (a) evaluate the links between low mentalizing and both state (ARMS/CHR) and trait (schizotypy) risk for psychosis (b) compare the differences in mentalizing abilities between individuals with ARMS, schizotypy, full-blown psychosis, and healthy controls.

Method

Electronic databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were used to search for articles, while Rayyan was employed to facilitate the screening and selection of studies. Eligible studies are original English-language; peer-reviewed research articles on populations that met validated risk diagnostic criteria for psychosis, ARMS, and healthy controls; empirical studies evaluating the association or differences between psychotic risk and mentalizing abilities. Non-English language studies, the ones not considering state or trait risk for psychosis, and qualitative studies were excluded. After the application of the PRISMA checklist and the inclusion and exclusion criteria previously mentioned, 10 articles were extracted. The systematic review has been registered on Prospero (CRD42023397594).

Results

Low levels of reflective functioning and metacognition may predict a transition to psychosis. In addition, reflective functioning and metacognitive impairments are associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms in both state risk groups and in non-clinical individuals with schizotypal traits. Concerning ToM tasks, mixed results emerged.

Conclusion

The results obtained from the review suggest that the application of strategies to attenuate maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and low mentalization may be equally effective in improving psychotic symptoms. The assessment of mentalization and metacognition could potentially provide additional prognostic value over factors predisposing to psychosis. Good mentalization and metacognition functioning should be considered as protective factors able to minimize the transition to psychosis.

The role of mentalizing in the relationship between schizotypal personality traits and state signs of psychosis risk captured by cognitive and perceptive basic symptoms

Objective

Schizotypal traits and disturbances in mentalizing (the capacity to understand the mental states driving one's own and others' behaviors) have been implicated in increased vulnerability for psychosis. Therefore, we explored the associations linking schizotypal traits, mentalizing difficulties and their interactions to clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P), as captured by the Basic Symptoms (BS) approach, during adolescence and young adulthood.

Methods

Eighty-seven adolescents and young adults from the general population (46% male, 44% female; age: 14-23 years) were assessed with the Schizophrenia Proneness Interview (SPI-CY/A) for 11 perceptive and cognitive BS, with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) for schizotypal traits, and with the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ) for self-reported mentalizing abilities. The RFQ evaluates the level of certainty (RFQc scale) and uncertainty (RFQu scale) with which individuals use mental state information to explain their own and others' behaviors.

Results

Logistic regression models showed significant positive effects of the SPQ disorganization scale on perceptive BS and of the SPQ interpersonal scale on cognitive BS. Post-hoc analyses revealed that schizotypal features pertaining to odd speech and social anxiety, respectively, were associated with perceptive and cognitive BS. Furthermore, higher scores on the RFQu scale and lower scores on the RFQc scale independently explained the presence of cognitive BS. Finally, significant interaction effects between RFQc and SPQ odd speech on perceptive BS, and between RFQc and SPQ social anxiety on cognitive BS were found.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that schizotypal traits and mentalizing significantly relate both independently and through their interactions to the presence of cognitive and perceptive BS included in CHR-P criteria. Furthermore, mentalizing dysfunction may contribute in the relation between schizotypal traits and early state signs of CHR-P. Mentalizing may support both detection and early treatment of CHR-P among adolescents and young adults who present with trait risk for psychosis.

Psychosocial stress, interpersonal sensitivity, and social withdrawal in clinical high risk for psychosis: a systematic review

Stress has repeatedly been implicated in the onset and exacerbation of positive symptoms of psychosis. Increasing interest is growing for the role of psychosocial stress in the development of psychosis symptoms in individuals at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis. A systematic review was therefore conducted to summarize the existing evidence base regarding psychosocial stress, interpersonal sensitivity, and social withdrawal in individuals at CHR for psychosis. An electronic search of Ovid (PsychINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and GLOBAL HEALTH) was conducted until February 2022. Studies that examined psychosocial stress in CHR were included. Twenty-nine studies were eligible for inclusion. Psychosocial stress, interpersonal sensitivity, and social withdrawal were higher in CHR individuals compared to healthy controls and there was some evidence of their association with positive symptoms of psychosis. Two types of psychosocial stressors were found to occur more frequently with CHR status, namely daily stressors, and early and recent trauma, while significant life events did not appear to be significant. Greater exposure to psychosocial stress, emotional abuse, and perceived discrimination significantly increased risk of transition to psychosis in CHR. No studies examined the role of interpersonal sensitivity on transition to psychosis in CHR. This systematic review provides evidence for the association of trauma, daily stressors, social withdrawal, and interpersonal sensitivity with CHR status. Further studies investigating the impact of psychosocial stress on psychosis symptom expression in individuals at CHR and its effects on transition to psychosis are therefore warranted.

Maladaptive personality traits in patients with recent-onset psychosis: A case-control study using the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5)

BACKGROUND

The relationship between maladaptive personality traits and psychotic disorders in the early stages of disease has not been thoroughly investigated, even though it is essential for developing prevention and early intervention strategies.

METHODS

The five domains and the 25 facets of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) were compared between 102 patients with recent-onset psychosis (ROP) and 116 community subjects (C) with a general linear model including age and sex in the analyses. In addition, multiple linear regression models were used to identify which factors associated with the PID-5 domains in ROP, and correlation analyses were used to explore the relationship between personality traits.

RESULTS

Patients with ROP, compared to C, exhibited higher scores in four out of the five domains with medium effect sizes (Cohen's f² ≥ 0.15) in two of them: negative affect (NA, p = 0.013, f² = 0.04), detachment (DET, p < 0.001, f² = 0.15), disinhibition (DIS, p < 0.001, f² = 0.14) and psychoticism (PSY, p < 0.001, f² = 0.16). Significant group differences were observed in 15 of the 25 facets and the largest effects were observed in the facets of withdrawal (p ≤ 0.001, f² = 0.20), irresponsibility (p < 0.001, f² = 0.23) and unusual beliefs (p = 0.001, f² = 0.22). Interestingly, being on antidepressants and high scores on the positive subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were associated with high scores of NA, antagonism (ANT) and PSY.

CONCLUSIONS

Maladaptive personality traits were prominent in persons with ROP. These findings suggest that personality traits might play a role in vulnerability to psychosis and highlight the importance of evaluating personality in the early stages of psychosis.

Personality traits and transition to psychosis one year after the first assessment

Introduction

Several studies have identified ultra-high-risk criteria that may characterize an at-risk mental state and predict the transition of psychotic evolution. Personality traits may play a crucial role in this process.

Aims

The current study aims to: (a) explore the evolution of an initial diagnosis over 12 months; (b) assess differences in social and occupational functioning; (c) identify common (trans-diagnostic) personality traits of psychotic risk.

Methods

The sample includes 97 (44 males and 53 females) young adults. They completed an assessment that consists of socio-demographic data, the Social and Occupational Functioning Scale, the Early Recognition Inventory-retrospective assessment onset of schizophrenia, and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). According to the tests' assessment, the sample was divided into three different groups: Ultra-High Risk (UHR), At-Risk, and Not at risk. One year after the first evaluation, psychiatrists administered the QuickSCID-5 to verify the diagnostic trajectories of the sample.

Results

Overall, the most prevalent category diagnoses were anxiety/depression, personality disorders, and psychosis. Specifically, the most common diagnosis in the UHR group was psychosis. Moreover, in the UHR group, the social and occupational functioning score was the lowest. In terms of differences in PID-5 personality traits, the At-risk and UHR groups scored highest in detachment and disinhibition. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for negative affectivity, antagonism, and psychoticism traits.

Conclusion

Results obtained by the current study should be considered an attempt to better understand the diagnostic trajectories and trans-diagnostic personality traits in a group of young help-seekers, specifically in UHR. Findings highlight both the importance of diagnosis and personality traits evaluation to customize a specific intervention based on the level of psychotic risk. Clinical suggestions are reported.

A network analysis of anxiety, depressive, and psychotic symptoms and functioning in children and adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis

Objective

Youths at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) are characterized by a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders. The present study aimed at developing and analyzing a network structure of CHR-P symptom domains (i.e., positive, negative, disorganization, and general subclinical psychotic symptoms), depressive and anxiety symptoms, and general functioning.

Methods

Network analysis was applied to data on 111 CHR-P children and adolescents (M age = 14.1), who were assessed using the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Children's Global Assessment Scale, and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children.

Results

In the network, negative and disorganization symptoms showed the strongest association (r = 0.71), and depressive and anxiety symptoms showed dense within-domain connections, with a main bridging role played by physical symptoms of anxiety. The positive symptom cluster was not associated with any other node. The network stability coefficient (CS) was slightly below 0.25, and observed correlations observed ranged from 0.35 to 0.71.

Conclusion

The lack of association between subclinical positive symptoms and other network variables confirmed the independent nature of subclinical positive symptoms from comorbid symptoms, which were found to play a central role in the analyzed network. Complex interventions should be developed to target positive and comorbid symptoms, prioritizing those with the most significant impact on functioning and the most relevance for the young individual, through a shared decision-making process. Importantly, the results suggest that negative and disorganization symptoms, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms, may be targeted simultaneously.

Turning data into better mental health: Past, present, and future

In this mini-review, we discuss the fundamentals of using technology in mental health diagnosis and tracking. We highlight those principles using two clinical concepts: (1) cravings and relapse in the context of addictive disorders and (2) anhedonia in the context of depression. This manuscript is useful for both clinicians wanting to understand the scope of technology use in psychiatry and for computer scientists and engineers wishing to assess psychiatric frameworks useful for diagnosis and treatment. The increase in smartphone ownership and internet connectivity, as well as the accelerated development of wearable devices, have made the observation and analysis of human behavior patterns possible. This has, in turn, paved the way to understand mental health conditions better. These technologies have immense potential in facilitating the diagnosis and tracking of mental health conditions; they also allow the implementation of existing behavioral treatments in new contexts (e.g., remotely, online, and in rural/underserved areas), and the possibility to develop new treatments based on new understanding of behavior patterns. The path to understand how to best use technology in mental health includes the need to match interdisciplinary frameworks from engineering/computer sciences and psychiatry. Thus, we start our review by introducing bio-behavioral sensing, the types of information available, and what behavioral patterns they may reflect and be related to in psychiatric diagnostic frameworks. This information is linked to the use of functional imaging, highlighting how imaging modalities can be considered "ground truth" for mental health/psychiatric dimensions, given the heterogeneity of clinical presentations, and the difficulty of determining what symptom corresponds to what disease. We then discuss how mental health/psychiatric dimensions overlap, yet differ from, psychiatric diagnoses. Using two clinical examples, we highlight the potential agreement areas in assessment/management of anhedonia and cravings. These two dimensions were chosen because of their link to two very prevalent diseases worldwide: depression and addiction. Anhedonia is a core symptom of depression, which is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Cravings, the urge to use a substance or perform an action (e.g., shopping, internet), is the leading step before relapse. Lastly, through the manuscript, we discuss potential mental health dimensions.

Integrating Psychophysiology within Clinical Practice: A Pilot Cross-sectional Study on Prodromal Symptoms of Schizophrenia, Emotion Regulation, and Personality Functioning

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia, autonomic activity, and personality functioning.

METHOD

10 adolescents underwent semi-structured interviews assessing prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia and personality functioning. Cardiac activity was recorded at baseline, during the clinical interviews, and at recovery to assess concurrent changes in autonomic functioning.

RESULTS

During the assessment of prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia, participants increased sympathetic activation compared to the recovery condition, and reduced vagal activation compared to the assessment of interpersonal functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the importance of integrating the autonomic assessment in clinical psychiatric and psychological practice.