Early adult mental health, functional and neuropsychological outcomes of young people who have reported psychotic experiences: a 10-year longitudinal study

• Published in: Psychological medicine 2021-08, Vol.51 (11), p.1861-1869
• Main Authors: Carey, Eleanor, Gillan, Diane, Healy, Colm, Dooley, Niamh, Campbell, Dónal, McGrane, Josen, O'Neill, Aisling, Coughlan, Helen, Clarke, Mary, Kelleher, Ian, Cannon, Mary
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Age; Child; Child development; Childhood; Children; Clinical interviews; Cognitive ability; Female; Functional impairment; Functional Status; Health status; Humans; Interviews; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental health; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Original Article; Population; Prevalence; Psychopathology; Psychosis; Psychotic Disorders - psychology; Stroop task; Teenagers; Young Adult; Young adults; Youth
• ISSN: 0033-2917; 1469-8978
• DOI: 10.1017/S0033291720000616

Psychotic experiences (PE) are highly prevalent in childhood and are known to be associated with co-morbid mental health disorders and functional difficulties in adolescence. However, little is known about the long-term outcomes of young people who report PE. As part of the Adolescent Brain Development Study, 211 young people were recruited in childhood (mean age 11.7 years) and underwent detailed clinical interviews, with 25% reporting PE. A 10 year follow-up study was completed and 103 participants returned (mean age 20.9 years). Structured clinical interviews for DSM-5 (SCID-5) and interviewer-rated assessments of functioning were conducted. A detailed neuropsychological battery was also administered. Analyses investigated group differences between those who had ever reported PE and controls in early adulthood. The PE group was at a significantly higher risk of meeting DSM-5 criteria for a current (OR 4.08, CI 1.16-14.29, p = 0.03) and lifetime psychiatric disorder (OR 3.27, CI 1.43-7.47, p = 0.005). They were also at a significantly higher risk of multi-morbid lifetime psychiatric disorders. Significantly lower scores on current social and global functioning measures were observed for the PE group. Overall, there were no differences in neuropsychological performance between groups apart from significantly lower scores on the Stroop Word task and the Purdue Pegboard task for the PE group. Our findings suggest that reports of PE are associated with poorer mental health and functional outcomes in early adulthood, with some persisting cognitive and motor deficits. Young people who report such symptoms could be considered a target group for interventions to aid functional outcomes.