Basic self-disturbance, prodromal symptoms, depression and suicidality: A population-based study among non-psychotic adolescents from the community.
Poster C137, Saturday, October 22, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Aya Zelezniak1, Lily Rothschild-Yakar1, Liza Lacoua1, Josef Parnas2, Danny Koren1,3; 1Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, 2Psychiatric Center, Glostrup-Hvidovre, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Brøndby, Denmark, 3Psychiatry Division, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
Background and Objective: Recent studies suggested that suicidality in schizophrenia is associated with a disordered sense of self (SD). The goal of this study was to examine the notion that this link exist before the onset of the illness among individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR). Method: Ninety non-psychotic adolescents (age 12-16) from the community were assessed with the Examination of Anomalous Self-experience (EASE), Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ), the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS), and the Depression Index (DEPI) and the Suicide Constellation for Adolescents from the Rorschach Inkblot Test. Results: Consistent with our hypotheses, risk for psychosis, as defined by presence of SD and prodromal symptoms, was positively correlated with depression and suicidality. In addition, depression and suicidality were more strongly correlated with SD than with prodromal symptoms. Finally, the correlation between SD and suicidality was moderated by depression (i.e., higher in depressed individuals). Conclusions: These pilot results provide first support for the notion that the link between depression, suicidality and disordered self-experience exist in the general population before the onset of psychosis. In addition, they suggest that the link between SD and suicidality depends on the level of depression. These results highlight the importance of future longitudinal studies that will examine the causal pathways that lead to suicidal ideation and intent among young people at clinical high-risk for psychosis.
Topic Area: Ultra High Risk / Prodromal Research