Psychosis

PSYCHIATRY - THEORY, APPLICATIONS AND TREATMENTS
PSYCHOSIS
CAUSES, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
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PSYCHIATRY - THEORY, APPLICATIONS AND TREATMENTS
PSYCHOSIS
CAUSES, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
XENIA ANASTASSIOU-HADJICHARALAMBOUS
EDITOR
New York
Copyright 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

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CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
vii
Psychotic Symptomatology: Clinical Features, Assessment
and Differential Diagnosis
Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
Paediatric Psychosis: Diagnosis, Developmental
Trajectories, Causes and Treatment
Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau
Early Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Risk:
Role of Neurohormones and Biological Sex
in Modulating Genetic, Prenatal and Sensory
Processing Factors in Brain Development
Deborah J. Walder, Luz Ospina, Maureen Daly,
Marta Statucka and Eva Raparia
Psychoses in a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric
Population and Their Outcome in Adulthood
Ulf Engqvist
25
45
79
Chapter 5
Childhood Trauma and Psychosis

Theodora Koulenti
and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
113
Chapter 6
Stages, Course and Prognosis of Psychosis

Theodora Koulenti
and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
123
Chapter 7
Semantic Memory and Symptomatology

in Schizophrenia: A Review
Keith R. Laws, Verity C. Leeson,Mohammed M. Al-Uzri
and Tejinder K. Kondel
Chapter 8
Semantic Memory Associated with Negative

Symptoms in Schizophrenia
Keith R Laws and Mohammed M. Al-Uzri
133
167
vi
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Index
Contents
Family Work for First-Episode Psychosis:
A Service Delivery Protocol
Nicholas J. K. Breitborde and Vinod H. Srihari
Family Interventions:Fundamental Considerations
when Developing Routine and Formal
Family Interventions Services
Frank R. Burbach
Coerced Treatment in Psychosis: Implications
of Insight, Duration of Untreated Psychosis and Stigma
Constantin Tranulis
Psychosis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Aline Tamires Lapa, Mariana Postal,
Fernando Augusto Peres, Caio Rodrigues Guirau
and Simone Appenzeller
183
207
229
241
259
PREFACE
severe mental illness like Psychosis can lead to a tragedy like this -that people can see things that aren't real and hear things that aren't real
and believe things that aren't real, and act in that distorted reality.
~ Andrea Yates
Psychosis is considered the most debilitating psychiatric condition. It presents an
enormously heavy burden of suffering in terms of its prevalence, morbidity, and potentially
high personal, familial and social costs. In effect, along the passage of time there has been
substantial accumulation of research on this puzzling disorder. Despite the continually
accumulating research that focuses on Psychosis, its precise nature remains poorly
understood. Consequently there is a need for systematic review of the lines of inquiry along
the many dimensions of the very diverse psychiatric condition of Psychosis.
Having this in mind, this edited volume attempts to provide to interested researchers and
clinicians an up-to-date, systematic, and integrative review of the clinically relevant empirical
evidence on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of Psychosis. Beyond the chapters that
provide systematic reviews of the theoretical framework and the research evidence across
critical dimensions of Psychosis, several experts in the field present their own findings of
their very recent investigations. Finally via these systematic reviews and empirical reports
new lines of inquiry are identified which the contributors hope would prove academically
valuable thought-provoking and stimulating towards an integrative view of the nature of
Psychosis.
Chapter 1 covers the clinical features, assessment, and differential diagnosis of Psychosis.
Successful management of patients with Psychosis requires accurate identification of the
condition underlying their symptoms. Psychotic symptoms, however, not only overlap with a
wide array of conditions, but, can also be attributable to the use of substances. The clinical
approach to the diagnosis of Psychotic Disorders is a multifaceted procedure involving the
consideration of a broad differential diagnosis. In effect, the introductory chapter of this
volume provides an overview of current assessment principles for patients who present with
symptoms of Psychosis. This introductory chapter, aims at illustrating the various conditions
that commonly co-occur with Psychosis, or of which Psychosis is a symptom in order to
inform diagnostic decisions.
Chapter 2 reviews the up to date state empirical literature on Pediatric Psychosis, an
understudied disorder that is cumbersome to diagnose, differentiate and treat. The chapter
begins with a brief overview of the diagnostic features of Paediatric Psychosis and the factors
viii
Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
implicated in making the diagnosis elusive and at times inaccurate. It continues with the
differential diagnoses that are often implicated in the misdiagnosis of psychotic
symptomatology in children. The next section, covers the sparse epidemiological data on the
prevalence followed by the factors implicated in the aetiology of the disorder. The
developmental considerations of the disorder are covered next. The final section reports on
the evidence-based status of the treatment approaches for Paediatric Psychosis and identifies
future directions of research.
Chapter 3 reviews early neurodevelopmental risk factors for Psychosis, with
consideration of the modulating role of neurohormones and ones biological sex. Genetic
factors (e.g., candidate genes, modifier genes, epigenetics) and adverse pre-/perinatal events
(such as obstetric complications) are the initial focus, given they exert effects (though not
exclusively) during early development. Deficits in sensory processing and sensoriomotor
gating are then reviewed as one among several cognitive and behavioral domains that may
represent early developmental putative indicators of Psychosis risk, that are not as yet clearly
linked with prenatal influences. Throughout, putative risk factors are contextualized with
respect to sex differences, the potential modulating role of neurohormones, and synergistic
effects towards bolstering current theoretical models of Psychosis proneness.
Chapter 4 constitutes an empirical prospective survey examining the occurrence of
Psychotic Disorders (i.e. Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Disorder, Delusional Disorders and/or
Psychotic Mood Disorders) in childhood, adolescence and their outcome in adulthood in a
group of former Swedish child and adolescent psychiatric patients.
Early studies documented that many patients with psychotic symptoms had experienced
childhood traumas, but, because of methodological weaknesses no causal link could be
established. Over the last decades, large-scale studies aimed to clarify the link between
childhood trauma and Psychosis in a more accurate and methodologically rigorous manner.
Chapter 5 reports on the evidence-based status of the link between childhood trauma and
Psychosis.
Identifying Psychosis in early stages is of major importance in terms of treatment. The
onset of Psychosis may be unexpected or insidious, but in the majority of individuals there is
some type of prodromal phase marked by the slow and gradual development of a variety of
signs and symptoms. The chapter 6, covers the stages, the course and prognosis of Psychosis.
Chapter 7 reviews the past twenty years of research on semantic memory function in
schizophrenia and the possible links with psychotic symptoms.
Chapter 8 presents a new study examining semantic memory and the relationship with
symptomatology in 73 community-based patients with schizophrenia and 71 healthy controls.
This new study reports a specific semantic memory impairment that shows stronger links with
negative than positive symptomatology. The implications are discussed.
Family psycho-education is an evidence-based treatment for Psychotic Disorders.
Chapter 9 outlines a service delivery protocol for a modified version of family psychoeducation designed specifically for individuals with first-episode Psychosis.
Chapter 10 addresses fundamental considerations when developing routine and formal
family interventions services. It provides a comprehensive overview, including the rationale,
evidence-base and service models; it defines formal and routine family interventions; and
describes a model which integrates research into the family emotional climate, attributions
and interactions.
Preface
ix
Chapter 11 reviews recent developments concerning clinical care for Psychosis. The new
focus on violence, duration of untreated Psychosis and insight are deeply influencing the way
psychiatry and society consider the person suffering from Psychosis. In particular, coercion
into treatment gains a new legitimacy. Chapter 11, concludes by noting the stigmatizing
effects of these trends.
Psychosis has been described to occur between 11-18% of Systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE) patients, both at disease onset and during follow-up period. It is essential to
differentiate primary Psychotic Disorders unrelated to SLE from substance or drug-induced
Psychotic Disorders and psychologically mediated reactions to SLE as a major stressor.
Chapter 12 reviews the prevalence, etiology and clinical presentation of Psychosis in SLE. In
addition it discusses treatment protocol for this serious manifestation in SLE.
This edited volume is conceptualized as a useful tool for advanced clinical psychology
students, researchers, and other mental health professionals for whom a tool on Psychosis
could prove useful in their scientific inquiry, and/or evidence-based professional practice.
Researchers and students will find this book useful due to its wide coverage of factors
implicated in the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of Psychosis. Last but not least, the
clinically relevant material that is cited in this volume makes it a useful tool for clinicians that
base their practice on treatment approach that is empirically supported.
Without the thorough and systematic work of the contributors this volume would have
been impossible. I therefore wish to acknowledge the level of their cooperation, commitment,
and dedication they showed throughout the hard at times, but, yet challenging process of
writing for this volume. My thanks also go to the staff of NOVA for their constant support
throughout the process. To my close collaborator and co-author in this volume, Professor
Cecilia Essau for her thought-provoking comments in the course of the writing up of the
chapter of this volume.
Last but not least, my gratitude goes to my beloved partner in this life Marios whose
flourished love and constant support through the many years of our life together has been
amazingly beneficial to my scientific inquiry. My very special thanks to my inspiration in this
life, the light of my life, my adorable -and adored- kids Manos and Nefeli ; and to the kids of
all contributing authors, who like my own kids, had to be particularly patient with their
parents in the course of the writing process of this volume. My deepest appreciation to my
mum, for her constant support through the years, and, for providing a safe base for my kids
while I was spending endless time in my office working on compiling the work of this
volume.
Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
Nicosia, Cyprus
November, 2011
In: Psychosis: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Editor: Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter 1
PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMATOLOGY:
CLINICAL FEATURES, ASSESSMENT
AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous*
University of Nicosia, Cyprus
ABSTRACT
Successful management of patients with psychosis requires accurate identification of
the condition underlying their symptoms. Psychotic symptoms, however, not only
overlap with a wide array of medical and neurological conditions but can also be
attributable to the use of substances. The clinical approach to the diagnosis of psychotic
disorders is a multifaceted procedure involving the consideration of a broad differential
diagnosis. This chapter is an overview of current assessment principles for patients who
present with symptoms of psychosis. By illustrating different conditions that commonly
co-occur with psychosis, or of which psychosis is a defining symptom, it aims to inform
diagnostic decisions.
INTRODUCTION
The term psychosis has been defined, historically, in a number of different ways, none of
which has gained universal acceptance [1, 2, 3]. In general, psychosis describes a mental state
characterized by a broad-spectrum impairment of reality testing. Hallucinations and delusions
are the two distinctive psychiatric features of psychosis, the presence of which typically
indicates that the patient has either distorted or lost contact with reality. Hallucinations, which
are sensory perceptions in the absence of an external source, can occur in any sensory
modality and may take the form of voices, visions, odors, or even complex tactile perceptions
[4]. Delusions are firmly held false beliefs that can range from ideas that are plausible, albeit
*
E-mail address: [email protected].
unlikely, to bizarre convictions. Psychosis is also marked by the presence of thought disorder
which is defined as a broad disruption in the form, or organization, of thinking. In the DSMIV-TR [1], the significance of the term psychosis varies from disorder to disorder: for certain
psychotic disorders, broader definitions apply, whereas for others, narrower definitions are
more appropriate [3]. In delusional disorder, for example, the psychotic symptoms are
restricted to prominent delusions, whereas the psychotic symptoms of substance-induced
psychosis and psychosis secondary to a general medical condition are delusions or
hallucinations about which the person lacks insight. Schizophrenia and schizoaffective
disorder are based on the broader definition of psychosis which includes delusions, any
prominent hallucinations, as well as disorganized speech, and catatonic or disorganized
behavior.
Psychosis is not a single and uniform disability. Psychotic symptoms may emerge in
isolation from other disturbances, be an associated feature of other disturbances, or be a
substantial component of a major psychotic disorder. In the DSM-IV-TR [1], those disorders
that require the presence of psychosis as a defining feature include schizophrenia, substanceinduced psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional
disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, and psychotic disorder due to a
general medical condition. Disorders in which psychotic symptoms may be present but are
not required for the diagnosis include mood disorders with psychotic features as well as
several cognitive disorders such as dementia of the Alzheimers type.
Psychosis is a phenomenon with a variety of differing etiologies found in many
conditions. As a result, while typical symptoms of psychosis (delusions, hallucinations,
disorganized speech and behavior, and inappropriate or blunted affect) are commonly
associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia, the occurrence of psychotic symptoms does
not always indicate that a primary psychiatric disorder like schizophrenia is present [3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Different types of medical and neurological conditions, including brain
tumors, Huntingtons disease, epilepsy, and endocrine disorders can present with psychotic
symptoms. Symptoms of psychosis can also be caused by the effects of intoxication with or
withdrawal from substances of abuse or prescribed and non-prescribed medications.
Regardless of etiology, psychotic illness is a severe condition that affects virtually all aspects
of a persons life and carries with it an elevated risk of chronicity and social disability [9, 11,
13]. Accurate identification of the condition underlying these symptoms is critically important
for selecting treatment and predicting outcome. A common difficulty experienced by
clinicians when a patient presents with psychosis is determining whether psychotic symptoms
correspond to a primary psychiatric disorder or are secondary to a medical or neurological
condition, intoxication, or the side effects of medication [14].
DIAGNOSTIC AND ASSESSMENT ISSUES

The objective in the early phase of assessment is to assess danger and stabilize the crisis
rather than to establish a final diagnosis [9, 14, 15]. For example, patients who appear
agitated, frightened or paranoid, or are verbally aggressive and threatening, may require
immediate behavioral and/or pharmacological intervention [15]. The diagnostic evaluation of
Psychotic Symptomatology
the psychotic patient begins once the basic safety precautions have been taken and the patient
is adequately capable of cooperating with the professional.
The diagnostic impression obtained in the first episodes of mental disorders has,
nevertheless, important therapeutic and prognostic implications. Based on this first diagnostic
impression, decisions are taken concerning the selection of treatment to be implemented and
the service that the patient is to be referred to, and parameters are set to outline the expected
evolution of each case. Consequently, the purpose of the initial assessment is to formulate a
comprehensive reconstruction of the development of the psychotic disorder in the context of
the individual patients life story.
An initial, complete diagnostic evaluation for a person presenting with psychotic
symptoms generally includes a comprehensive history (psychiatric; general medical;
psychosocial, and family, including perinatal and developmental history) and a mental status
examination that is primarily focused on eliciting psychotic symptoms from the patient [12,
15]. Psychotic and related disorders are considered diagnoses of exclusion because their
symptoms overlap with a wide array of psychiatric, neurological, and general medical
disorders but can also be attributable to the use of substances. Evaluating a patient with a first
episode of psychosis, therefore, requires consideration of a broad differential diagnosis.
In order to facilitate the diagnostic procedure, the etiology of psychosis is commonly
divided into two separate categories: primary psychiatric disorders (i.e., schizophrenia and
other psychiatric disorders) and secondary psychoses [8]. Secondary psychoses consist of
delirium, dementia, medical and neurological conditions, and abuse of substances. The first
step in the differential diagnosis of psychosis is to exclude medically related or substanceinduced psychotic disorders [16]. The second step is to differentiate psychosis caused by
schizophrenia from psychosis associated with affective and other disorders that may present
with psychotic features [16]. In spite of this useful classification, differentiating primary from
secondary psychoses exclusively on the basis of psychopathology remains a diagnostic
challenge, as psychotic states with differing etiologies may present with phenomenologically
similar symptoms. The final diagnosis is, for this reason, often best determined during a
multiple-contact, longitudinal assessment process [14, 17] throughout which psychotic
symptoms in secondary conditions are excluded before entertaining the diagnosis of
schizophrenia [12]. All assessments consist of direct client interviews, collateral data, client
observations, and a review of available documented history [10, 11, 14, 15, 17].
As a rule, clinical features that are not characteristic of primary psychiatric disease
commonly point toward the presence of secondary psychosis. Such atypical features include
absence of a family history of major mental illness; lack of prior episodes of psychosis; an
acute illness onset; an age at onset beyond the middle 30s; clouding of consciousness (i.e.,
confusional states); focal neurological abnormality; non-auditory hallucinations; co-existing
deficit syndromes such as delirium, dementia, aphasia, amnesia; atypical clinical course or
atypical response to treatment; as well as psychosis in a patient undergoing treatment in an
emergency, general medical, or intensive care unit [4, 5, 7, 11, 18, 19].
In view of the multitude of alternative etiological factors of psychosis and in order to
avoid the mistaken attribution of psychosis to a psychiatric disorder, a comprehensive
physical examination is considered an essential assessment component, along with the history
taking and mental status examination. For new-onset cases of psychosis in particular, a
thorough history and physical examination with emphasis on the neurological and cognitive
parts are the starting point for the initial approach to psychosis [4, 8, 9, 10, 11]. Routine
laboratory tests that may facilitate the detection of possible organic factors and/or covert
substance abuse include a complete blood count (CBC); hematocrit and hemoglobin; renal
and metabolic panels; liver enzymes; thyroid function tests; determination of electrolyte
levels; and HIV serological tests. Additional investigations, such as magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) and electrophysiological studies (EEG) may
be indicated when the history suggests the need to rule out a space-occupying lesion or
developmental malformation as the potential cause of the psychosis [4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 15, 19,
20, 21].
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS:
EXCLUSION OF SECONDARY PSYCHOSES
1. Secondary Psychosis Due to a General Medical Condition
Psychotic symptoms have been described in many neurological and general medical
disorders [11, 12, 18, 21]. The fact that medical conditions represent potentially reversible
causes of psychotic symptoms, along with the multitude of negative consequences of failing
to make a diagnosis of such a condition, represent the primary reasons for medically
examining patients who present with symptoms of psychosis [10, 15].
In order to assess potential medical and/or neurological causes of the presenting
psychosis, a thorough history is taken from the patient and other informants (i.e., the patients
relatives), and a standard physical, mental status, and neurological examination is carried out.
Clinical presentations that are characterized by an acute onset, features of delirium (i.e.,
clouding of consciousness), disorientation in time and place, disturbance of memory,
impaired attention, fluctuation of conscious awareness, and visual hallucinations [11, 19] are
generally indicative of an underlying medical or neurological cause. When the clinical picture
is marked with such atypical features, complementary laboratory and neuroimaging
investigations may be required, depending on the hypothesized diagnosis. If no medical or
neurological cause of psychosis becomes evident following the standard clinical process (i.e.,
absence of focal neurological signs and symptoms), it is typically assumed that the symptoms
of psychosis are most likely caused by a primary psychiatric disorder [12, 19]. Importantly,
presence of a medical or neurologic disorder does not preclude the possibility of a comorbid
psychiatric disorder.
Endocrine Diseases
Thyroid Disorders. Hypofunction of hyperfunction of the thyroid gland can result in
florid psychosis. In the form of hypothyroidism, psychosis may present with both auditory
hallucinations and paranoia (typically characterized by delusions of persecution and
reference) in a condition known as myxedema madness [19, 22, 23, 24]. In severe cases of
autoimmune hyperthyroidism (thyrotoxicosis or thyrotoxic storm), a patient may present
with psychotic symptoms such as prominent hallucinations and delusions of paranoid type, as
well as symptoms of depression and mania [23, 24].
Adrenal Disorders. Hyperadrenalism (Cushings syndrome) most commonly results from
exogenous corticosteroids, but may also be the result of adrenocorticotropic hormone
(ACTH) secretion by a pituitary tumor (Cushings disease), or corticosteroid secretion by an

adrenal tumor [23]. These endocrine disorders may present with symptoms of psychosis,
along with other psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and cognitive
disturbances [8, 22, 23, 24].
Autoimmune Diseases
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a connective tissue, systemic autoimmune
disease that affects small blood vessels and is marked by multiple abnormalities of the
immune system including a diverse array of neurological and psychiatric manifestations that
may affect either the central or peripheral nervous systems in individual patients [25, 26]. The
neuropsychiatric complications of SLE, include seizures, stroke, cognitive impairment and
psychiatric disorders, and may be among some of the earliest symptoms of the disease,
becoming evident even prior to the manifestation of gross peripheral organ pathology.
Psychosis has been well documented to occur in a significant minority of patients as a result
of the immune disease itself, unrelated to medical treatment [8, 25, 26]. Symptoms of
psychosis in SLE patients typically present in the form of delirium with psychotic features
and tend to peak with disease relapses and quickly disappear with remissions [26].
Hashimotos encephalopathy (HE), a relatively very rare condition that appears in all age
groups [27], is an association of autoimmune thyroiditis (thyrotoxicosis) with
encephalopathy. The condition presents with a great variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms
[27] including focal or generalized seizures; confusion; headaches; choroid movements;
stroke-like episodes, as well as recurrent symptoms of psychosis, the most common of which
are hallucinations [8, 22, 27]. HE is corticosteroid-responsive, and prompt treatment typically
leads to rapid recovery [8, 27].
Infections
Although most infectious causes of psychosis have viral etiologies resulting in
encephalitis, a variety of other infectious agents such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites may
also invade the nervous system and produce symptoms of psychosis [28]. Clinical features
that are suggestive of viral encephalitis encephalitic psychoses are headache, lethargy, and
fever, and in some cases psychosis [8, 22]. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
and neurosyphilis can present with psychosis and should specifically be considered in all
patients with psychosis [8, 22]. Delusions with persecutory, grandiose, or somatic
components are the most prominent psychotic symptom in HIV infection. Hallucinations,
disorders of thought processes, disturbances of affect, and bizarre behavior also commonly
coexist with the psychosis [28].
Seizures
The relationship between seizures, particularly temporal lobe epilepsy, and psychosis is
well established, with epidemiological studies indicating elevated rates of schizophrenia in
patients with epilepsy and vice versa [8]. Even though the hallucinatory states of epilepsy are
almost always accompanied by additional epileptic features such as confusion or altered
awareness, the clinical phenomenology of epileptic states is often indistinguishable from that
of primary psychosis [29]. Typically, the psychotic symptoms in patients with epilepsy are
described as episodic rather than continuing, with normal functioning between episodes [19].
In view of the fact that clinical seizures are the outstanding feature of epilepsy, psychotic
symptoms that occur in the context of seizures have traditionally been classified according to
their temporal relationship to these events, into ictal, postictal (or peri-ictal), and interictal
categories [8, 19, 29, 30, 31]. Ictal psychosis can occur in a non-convulsive state (complex
partial status epilepticus), and is immediately suggested by its paroxysmal onset and brief
duration, lasting from minutes to hours [8, 22, 30]. This epileptic state may result in mental
states remarkably similar to those seen in primary psychosis, characterized by restless,
fearful, and agitated behavior with delusions and hallucinations, ideas of reference, paranoia,
and thought disorder [11, 29]. Hallucinations that take place in the ictal state tend to be brief
and stereotyped visual experiences [32]. Postictal psychosis emerges close to the seizure and
while it can last several days or weeks, it rarely develops into a chronic psychosis. Psychotic
symptoms typical of this epileptic state are noted for their similarity to schizophrenialike/paranoid and affective psychoses [29]. Chronic interictal psychosis typically occurs in the
setting of a chronically uncontrolled seizure disorder, such as chronic epilepsy [22, 31], and is
marked by hallucinatory and other psychotic features occurring in clear consciousness [29]
and intense dysphoric affect [8, 22]. Because frontal lobe seizures can be very difficult to
diagnose, serial EEGs improve the possibility of making a diagnosis of epilepsy. Further
assistance in diagnosis may also come from the examination of serum prolactin levels which
increase following epileptic seizures [30].
Cerebral Tumors
Even though psychosis secondary to a brain tumor is rare [19], psychotic symptoms are
one of the most basic, and sometimes the single manifestation of an intracranial tumor. Even
though secondary to brain tumor, these symptoms may be indistinguishable from the typical
symptoms of primary psychotic disorders. The diagnostic possibility of a brain tumor should,
in consequence, always be considered in patients with new-onset psychosis [22, 33, 34], and
in elderly patients, particularly if persistent headaches or other neurological signs (i.e.,
seizures), or certain focal signs (i.e., aphasia) are present [8, 34]. Psychotic symptoms may
follow seizures, which are common with brain tumors, especially if located in the temporal
lobes but can also be caused by tumors in other regions including the frontal and parietal
lobes and the corpus callosum [19, 22]. Various general differences have been noted when
comparing the psychotic symptoms secondary to brain tumor to those of schizophrenia. The
onset of psychotic symptoms is typically subacute or gradual [22] and formal thought
disorder and catatonia in cases of psychosis secondary to brain tumor are rare. Hallucinations
secondary to brain tumors are most commonly visual and tend to be less complex than in
patients with schizophrenia [19]. Delusions in brain tumors are generally of paranoid or
persecutory type and simpler in nature compared to the systematized delusions of
schizophrenia [19, 33, 34]. Patients with psychosis secondary to brain tumors may present
with signs of delirium (i.e., clouding of consciousness, confusional states, disorientation) as a
result of diffuse impairment of brain tissue [19].
Traumatic Brain Injury
Although psychosis is a relatively uncommon psychiatric consequence following brain
injury [22, 35], a history of head injury is a risk factor for the development of a chronic
psychotic syndrome that can be clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia [8, 35, 36].
The type (open or closed brain injury); the severity of brain injury, usually evidenced by EEG
and neuroimaging abnormalities (e.g., focal lesions in the frontal and temporal lobes) and a
family history of psychosis are strongly associated with the emergence of psychosis following
head injury [8, 35, 36, 37, 38]. Psychosis secondary to traumatic brain injury is typically
delusional-hallucinatory in nature, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia are generally less
common [35, 36, 37, 38].
Demyelinating Diseases
Diseases that disrupt the integrity of white matter tracts in the brain can lead to psychosis,
likely to be caused by the functional disconnectivity of critical brain regions. The clinical
consequences of this disconnection depend on the localization of the white-matter
pathology, whether it is in the brain, spinal cord, or brain stem [39].
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease, and is associated
with psychosis more often than can be expected by chance [8, 40], although the rate of
psychosis is low [19, 22]. The psychiatric clinical picture of MS patients is primarily
characterized by the presence of positive psychotic symptoms, generally accompanied by
signs suggestive of disseminated lesions (e.g., concurrent with nystagmus) [22], with relative
preservation of affective responses [40].
Inherited leukodystrophies, such as metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and
adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) are associated with a high prevalence of neuropsychiatric
symptoms, including psychosis. While inherited leukodystrophies are usually diagnosed
during childhood when systemic and neurological symptoms emerge, adult-onset cases can
present with a predominantly psychiatric picture [22, 39]. MLD in particular is associated
with a very high rate of psychosis, perhaps as high as 50% in the adult age group [8, 41].
MLD is a rare, recessively inherited disorder that occurs secondary to mutations in the gene
for aryl sulfatase A (ASA), predominantly affecting white matter, and resulting in the
accumulation of sulfatides in the brain, peripheral nerves, kidneys, and gallbladder [22]. In
MLD, psychotic symptoms, which very closely resemble those of schizophrenia [22], may be
a result of impaired central nervous system (CNS) function during a critical period of
development of the CNS [41]. A number of further symptoms and signs, such as ataxia,
spasticity, seizures, or a peripheral neuropathy may also constitute presenting features, or may
emerge in the context of psychosis, personality change or dementia [22]. ALD is an X-linked
disorder in which very long- chain fatty acids accumulate as a result of defective betaoxidation within the peroxisome [8, 39]. Even though the disorder typically afflicts young
boys, less severe forms of the illness have their onset during adolescence or adulthood [39].
In adult-onset ALD, where disruptions to myelination predominantly affect posterior zones,
mood disorders with psychotic symptoms (e.g., mania, or affective psychosis) occur more
commonly than psychotic symptoms that resemble schizophrenia [41]. The diagnosis of a
demyelinating disorder is suggested by abnormal findings on MRI scans, such as diffuse,
symmetric, and confluent demyelination [39]. As the disease progresses, the extensive loss of
white matter causes a significant enlargement of the ventricles. For inherited leukodystrophies
in particular, clinical symptoms distinctive of these conditions consist of progressive
cognitive decline, other neurological findings (e.g., seizures or a neuropathy), or other
systemic findings (e.g., adrenal insufficiency in patients with ALD) [8, 39].
Basal Ganglia Disorders

Wilsons disease (WD), also known as hepatolenticular degeneration, is an autosomal
recessive disorder involving multiple mutations of the gene ATP7B which is critical to
hepatic copper excretion [42, 43]. The initial presentation of Wilsons disease may be with
psychotic symptoms, with a movement disorder appearing only much later [22, 43]. The
disorder leads to an accumulation of copper deposits throughout the body, including the liver,
brain, musculoskeletal system, heart, kidneys, endocrine system, red blood cells, skin, and
other tissues [42]. Copper deposition occurs for the most part in the liver and the basal
ganglia lenticular nucleus of the brain [8, 42]. Early recognition of WD is of critical
importance since the disorder responds well to treatment with decoppering agents [42]. WD is
diagnosed by determining low blood ceruloplasmin and is confirmed by elevated copper
levels on liver biopsy [8, 15, 42]. Clinical clues that suggest the need of a diagnostic workup
to exclude WD include the manifestation of hepatic, neurological (i.e., mild tremor, speech
difficulties), or psychiatric symptoms, mainly when accompanied by a family history of WD
or the existence of Kayser-Fleischer rings (KFRs) on slit lamp exam [4, 8, 42].
Huntingtons Disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a classical
autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance [30]. The disease tends to be more severe if the
onset is early, and premonitory psychiatric features are more common in such cases [35].
Even though choreiform movements are typically the first behavioral manifestation of the
disorder, psychiatric symptoms may sometimes precede the movement disorder or cognitive
dysfunction of Huntingtons disease and, as a result, delay its recognition [8, 35], particularly
because the syndrome of psychosis and chorea may appear indistinguishable from
schizophrenia when complicated from tardive dyskinesia [22]. Psychiatric symptoms
presenting in patients with HD, often collectively referred to as alterations in personality,
generally consist of increased suspiciousness, ideas of reference, impulsivity, eccentricity,
and irritability [35]. Prominent psychotic symptoms secondary to HD are typically
hallucinations and delusions of persecutory, referential, or grandiose nature [35]. Symptoms
of psychosis may gradually fade away as the cognitive impairment progresses [43]. The
diagnosis of HD is strongly suggested by the characteristic clinical features and family
history, and established by genetic testing [8, 35]. Neuroimaging (CT, MRI, and SPECT) may
play a role in determining the severity of cerebral involvement [35].
Fahrs disease (FD) is described as symmetrical, bilateral basal ganglia calcification
(BGC) without parathyroid dysfunction or physical abnormalities, generally hereditary with
an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance [8, 22, 44]. Although the condition presents
most commonly with motor deficits, approximately 40% of FD patients present with
primarily cognitive and other psychiatric symptoms [44]. Onset between the ages of 20 and
40 has been associated with schizophreniform psychoses and catatonic symptoms, whereas
onset between the ages of 40 and 60 has been associated with dementia and choreoathetosis
[43]. The course of FD is characteristically slow and progressive. Neurological or psychiatric
symptoms such as psychosis tend to precede cognitive decline [44] and include auditory and
visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions or paranoid trends, ideas of reference, ideas of
influence, catatonia, fugue states, and atypical features such as complex perceptual distortions
[44]. Even though the condition is rare, the diagnosis of FD should be considered in patients
who present with the characteristic triad of neurological, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms
[43, 44]. Diagnosis is based on family history information and results obtained from brain CT
scan, which is sensitive in demonstrating minimal basal ganglia calcification [44].
Parkinsons disease (PD). Psychosis is a common neuropsychiatric complication of PD,

affecting nearly 50% of all patients over the course of the disease [45, 46]. Psychosis
associated with PD is characterized by a temporal and clinical profile of hallucinations and
delusions that differs from the typical pattern of primary psychotic disorders. In general, PDrelated psychosis emerges as a complication of anti-parkinsonian therapy in advanced stages
of the disease [45, 46, 47] and in susceptible individuals [48]. Early onset of psychosis
following the initiation of dopaminergic therapy, (i.e., within the first 3 months), is atypical
for PD and is usually indicative of alternative diagnoses, such as dementia with Lewy bodies
and Alzheimers disease [45, 46, 47]. Psychotic symptoms in PD include hallucinations and
delusions of variable range and severity [45]. Even though hallucinations can take place in
any sensory modality, and at any time during the course of PD, visual hallucinations are the
most common element of psychosis in PD [45, 46, 47, 48]. Hallucinations in PD are usually
fully formed and characterized by stereotyped and recurrent themes [45, 46, 47, 48]. In
contrast to the auditory hallucinations typical of schizophrenia, auditory hallucinations in PD
variably co-occur with visual hallucinations, and are less likely to be seen in isolation [46].
The hallucinatory experience tends to be typically brief, lasting seconds to minutes at a time,
with variable frequency and generally occurs in a clear sensorium [46]. Although each
hallucinatory episode is brief, the hallucinatory state, once established, is a chronic one and
symptoms may continue or re-emerge among patients treated with antipsychotics [46]. In PD,
delusions are less common, with a prevalence ranging from 3% to 30% [45]. When delusions
are present in patients with PD, they are typically of paranoid nature [45, 46, 48] and are
characterized by well-systematized ideas that focus on a single theme [45]. In contrast to the
delusions of schizophrenia, PD-related delusions most often occur in a clear sensorium and do
not include further elements of a thought disorder [48].
2. Secondary Psychosis Due to Substance Abuse

A variety of psychoactive substances, such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens,
and amphetamine, can induce transient psychotic states that are not indicative of an
underlying primary psychotic disorder [5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22, 49, 50, 51, 52]. With
variations related to the pharmacological effects of different categories of substances,
psychotic symptoms are typically experienced in the contexts of acute intoxication,
withdrawal, delirium (related to either intoxication or withdrawal), substance-induced mood
disorder (with psychotic symptoms), or substance-induced psychosis [50, 53, 54, 52].
Numerous commonly prescribed medications can also evoke psychotic symptoms,
particularly those with direct effects on the brain, such as anticholinergics, corticosteroids,
anti-parkinsonian medications, and anticonvulsants [5, 51, 55, 56, 57]. Toxins reported to
induce psychotic symptoms include carbon monoxide, heavy metals (i.e., arsenic, manganese,
mercury, and thallium), organophosphate insecticides, and volatile substances such as fuel or
paint [57].
The diagnostic distinction between a substance-induced psychosis and a primary
psychotic disorder that co-occurs with drug use is critically important in planning for
appropriate treatment [11, 12, 15, 50, 53, 58]. The issues of assessment and treatment
planning are primarily significant in the early stages of psychotic disorder when the symptom
picture is usually unclear and an error in diagnosis can result in medical mismanagement [9,
10
13, 15, 54, 57, 59], in particular when the substance abuse is covert, denied, or not reported
accurately [20]. Diagnosis depends on the collection of evidence which must support the
position that the psychotic symptomatology is substance induced. The co-occurrence of
psychosis and substance use is challenging diagnostically because persons with primary
psychotic disorders who use psychoactive substances frequently present for treatment with
signs and symptoms similar to those whose psychosis resulted from the use of drugs alone
[13, 58]. Further complicating matters, the use of substances with psychotomimetic properties
can exacerbate already existing psychotic symptoms and in many cases lead to a return of
acute psychosis [9, 10, 18, 20, 43, 49, 50, 60, 61]. Consequently, when patients with a history
of substance abuse present with psychotic symptoms, their symptoms can be diagnosed as
either an independent psychiatric disorder that is not substance induced; identified as
manifestations of use, intoxication, or withdrawal, or attributed to the combined effects or the
interaction of both conditions [17, 20, 54, 57, 60, 62].
Diagnosis largely depends on recognition of a temporal relationship between the
ingestion of the suspect substance and the onset of psychotic symptoms, clinical presentation
and a thorough medical and medication history. Because patients with acute psychosis are
often excessively disorganized to provide an accurate history, and because substance-abusing
patients often minimize their use and try to keep their problems hidden, consultation with
family, friends, and other reliable informants (i.e., health care providers) is valuable in
understanding any pre-existing mental health issues and recent changes in behavior or
medical treatment. Medication history should include the patients use of prescription, nonprescription, and illicit drugs, as well as any herbal products or nutritional supplements being
ingested, and recent discontinuation of any medication. Laboratory monitoring regularly
complements the assessment procedure and typically includes a complete blood cell count
(CBC), serum electrolytes, urine toxicology screening, and liver-function tests [5, 9, 10, 15,
51, 56, 57].
The chronology-based timeline method is a useful approach for distinguishing between
substance-induced and independent psychiatric conditions [9, 12, 54, 57]. First, the age at
which the patient developed dependence and fulfilled criteria for substance abuse should be
noted [57]. Determining the chronology of symptoms is facilitated by establishing the
patients age at major life events (i.e., graduation, marriage), and then determining whether
the criterion of interest (i.e., tolerance) occurred previous to or following a particular event.
The second step involves the consideration of psychiatric symptomatology during the course
of substance abuse, or before the onset of the dependence syndrome. This procedure can help
establish whether an acute or chronic substance use disorder caused the onset of the
psychosis; whether use of substances only forced the re-emergence of psychiatric symptoms
or a disorder that had occurred earlier in the lifetime of the patient, or whether the substance
use disorder intensified the severity of the underlying psychiatric disorder [54]. An equally
important third step is the review of psychiatric symptomatology in the context of abstinence
of several months (when intoxication or withdrawal effects can no longer account for
psychotic symptoms). If major psychiatric symptoms occurred before the onset of substance
abuse or during periods of sustained abstinence, the individual most likely suffers from two
independent disorders [57]. If no major psychiatric symptoms can be demonstrated either
before or in the prolonged absence of substance abuse, the psychosis is probably secondary to
the substance abuse [57]. The fourth and final step is the most critical, and involves
observation of the patient over a month of abstinence to determine whether the symptoms of
11
psychosis improve sufficiently or drop below the diagnostic threshold. DSM-IV [1] diagnosis
of primary psychotic disorder is encouraged when psychotic features last for more than a
month with sustained abstinence. Improvement of psychiatric symptoms following abstinence
usually indicates that the psychosis was secondary to substance abuse. In the same way,
relapse of psychotic symptoms upon re-exposure to the offending substance (or withdrawal)
further supports the diagnosis of substance-induced psychosis [50, 54, 62]. Even though longterm follow-up is recognized as the most definitive method for making a diagnostic
distinction between substance-induced and independent or primary psychotic symptoms [20,
54, 62], establishing a causal link between psychotic symptoms and the ingested drug is
particularly difficult when the drugs of abuse are illicit [8, 53, 60] and when patients abuse
multiple substances, each with a differing profile of psychotogenic effects and duration of
withdrawal syndromes.
DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN PRIMARY PSYCHOSES AND MENTAL

DISORDERS THAT MAY PRESENT WITH PSYCHOTIC FEATURES
1. Mood Disorders
Schizophrenia overlaps more prominently with the major mood disorders than any other
psychiatric disorder [20, 51, 63, 64]; with schizophrenia patients being at increased risk of
developing depression relative to the already high lifetime prevalence of depression in the
general population [51, 60, 64]. Importantly, the advent of depression along the course of the
illness is associated with an increased rate of relapse; more frequent and longer duration of
hospitalizations; poor response to pharmacological treatments; as well as increased rates of
substance abuse and suicide/suicide attempts [51, 65, 66]. Differentiating the two syndromes
is imperative not only for the aforementioned reasons, but also because the disorders respond
to different treatments, particularly pharmacological interventions [20, 51, 67].
The diagnostic distinction between schizophrenia and a major mood disorder is based on
determining whether active psychotic symptoms occur in the absence of mood symptoms, or
conversely, whether affective symptoms are present in the context of chronic psychotic
disorders [68, 69]. This assessment is typically complicated by the fact that mood symptoms
are commonly present in all phases of schizophrenia (prodrome, acute, and remission), or
may be superimposed on the symptoms of residual schizophrenia (post-psychotic
depression), and psychotic symptoms are frequently reported by persons with severe mood
disorders [5, 9, 18, 20, 65, 66, 69]. Further complicating the clinical picture are patients who
display signs of depressive or manic symptoms, but do not meet the full syndromal criteria
for an affective disorder [18, 51, 69]. One additional complexity involves the difficulty to
establish the chronological relationship between the onset of mood symptoms and psychotic
symptoms- a requirement of many classification systems [18]. Finally, in the context of a
chronic psychotic disorder, several of the symptoms that typically constitute a depressive
syndrome may in fact be negative symptoms of schizophrenia or side effects of antipsychotic
medication, or may occur in a prodrome to a psychotic relapse [11, 68].
The DSM-IV-TR [1], distinguishes between schizophrenia and psychotic mood disorders,
mainly based upon psychosis being the core-defining feature of the schizophrenia diagnosis,
12
whereas in mood disorders it is considered a secondary clinical phenomenon [70]. In patients

with affective disorders, psychotic symptoms, if they occur, typically coincide with the mood
disturbance, and a recurrent pattern of depressive or manic episodes (or both) is usual. In
contrast, in patients with schizophrenia, mood disturbances are not necessarily present, but if
they are, a recurrent pattern is uncommon, and the mood symptoms have a duration that is
brief in relation to the total duration of the disturbance, or do not meet full criteria for a mood
episode. The diagnostic criterion that is of most importance in differentiating between
schizophrenia and a mood disorder is, therefore, the context in which psychotic symptoms
occur. When psychotic symptoms occur only after a patient has begun a mood episode, but
disappear once the mood is stable, the patients diagnosis is either bipolar disorder or major
depressive disorder with psychotic features [4, 11, 20, 68, 69]. When psychotic symptoms
that are typical of schizophrenia have been present for at least two weeks in the absence of
mood symptoms, they usually suggest the presence of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective
disorder [4, 11, 20, 68]. Significantly, a diagnosis of schizophrenia does not preclude a
secondary diagnosis of a mood syndrome [68, 69].
Differentiating between Major Depressive Disorder

with Psychotic Features and Schizophrenia
Depressive episodes in patients with schizophrenia generally occur along with other
symptoms of schizophrenia and within the context of an otherwise typical symptom pattern
for schizophrenia [11]. The negative symptom syndrome of schizophrenia, however, shares
many clinical similarities with some of the major psychological features of primary
depressive illness [4, 65, 66, 68] and may cause particular problems when these symptoms are
viewed upon as a possible differential diagnostic criterion. Relevant overlapping features
between the two syndromes include lack of energy, anhedonia and social withdrawal,
diminished interest, pleasure, energy, or motivation along with psychomotor retardation,
insomnia, and impaired ability to concentrate [11, 65, 66, 69]. In differentiating the two
syndromes, blunted affect which suggests negative symptoms and prominent subjectively low
mood or cognitive features such as guilt or suicidal thoughts, which suggests depression, are
the two most helpful distinguishing symptoms [65, 66]. An emphasis on the patients internal
subjective states may, in consequence, be a useful approach in detecting important aspects of
depressive symptomatology in schizophrenia [65]. Onset of depressive symptoms following a
clear psychosocial stressor is an additional clue to diagnosing depressive symptoms in a
patient who has schizophrenia [68]. The gradual development of the disease apart from a
mood disorder, incomplete remission between psychotic episodes, prolonged social and
occupational impairments, and characteristic symptoms further contribute to a diagnosis of
schizophrenia [16].
Patients with psychotic depression are typically severely behaviorally disturbed [69]. The
hallucinations experienced by patients with major depression, are typically of shorter duration
and fragmented compared to those of schizophrenia; they occur within the context of
predominantly affective symptoms [11], and patients usually attach delusional interpretations
to them, such as infestation, poisoning, or spying [69]. Delusional themes in the psychotic
subtype of major depression tend to be mood congruent, usually reflecting ruminative
concerns about guilt, worthlessness, nihilism, and physical decay [4, 69]. Conversely, in
schizophrenia the delusions tend to be bizarre and generally unrelated to the mood. When
mood incongruent delusions (i.e., persecutory delusions) are experienced in the context of a
13
major depressive episode, these must be accompanied by more typical depressive symptoms
for a diagnosis of mood disorder with psychotic features to be considered [11]. Despite the
strong similarity to the affective disorders, schizoaffective disorder and affective disorders are
not identical [71]. Schizoaffective episodes are, by definition, always psychotic whereas
affective episodes are not. They are also typically more severe than affective episodes [72]
and the clinical presentation of depression is less typical compared to that of psychotic
depression [73]. Some schizoaffective episodes (schizo-dominant type) have a strong
relation to schizophrenia, with a higher incidence of schizophrenia in the family history [71].
Differentiating between Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic

Features and Schizophrenia
Bipolar affective disorder is characterized by episodes of psychosis during both high
(manic) and low (depressive) relapses [21]. Making the differential diagnosis between
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is most problematic in patients presenting with a first
episode of psychosis because at that point, the longitudinal course of illness which best
distinguishes these disorders, is not clinically observable. Viewed cross-sectionally,
symptoms that characteristically accompany the height of a manic episode, such as irritability,
anger, paranoid delusions, formal thought disorder, and catatonic-like excitement cannot
distinguish manic states from schizophrenia [11, 67, 74]. In patients with schizophrenia, these
symptoms are typically secondary to an exacerbation of positive symptoms, whereas in manic
states, they typically correspond to the euphoria, grandiosity, and increase in goal-directed
activities that are typical of the characteristic expansive and elated affect of this condition [11,
67, 68]. Because presenting symptoms can be similar in mania and schizophrenia, in
distinguishing between bipolar illness and psychotic disorders, attention must be given to the
clustering of symptoms, rather than individual symptoms [67]. Level of premorbid
functioning, family history of psychiatric illness, sequence and patterning of symptoms, and
the character of any prior episodes including functioning during inter-episode periods are
important in differentiating between the two conditions [74]. Even though not diagnostically
specific, a family history of bipolar disorder and a history of episodic illness with good interepisode functioning [67, 74], as well as sudden onset of symptoms and a prevalence of
affective symptoms [11] generally point toward the presence of bipolar mood disorder with
psychotic features. Prominence of affective symptoms is the criterion which generally makes
possible differentiating mood disorders with psychotic features from schizophrenia. Thus, the
presence of psychotic symptoms, including bizarre or mood incongruent delusions and
Schneiderian first rank symptoms, is consistent with a diagnosis of mania as long as these are
accompanied by substantial affective symptoms most of the time [74]. A diagnosis of
schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder is considered when the delusions or hallucinations
are experienced in the absence of affective episodes for a period of time that exceeds two
weeks. Schizophrenia is diagnosed if the patient manifests continuous overt signs of
psychosis for at least six months and the manic symptoms are brief relative to the durations of
the symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizoaffective disorder, manic type, is diagnosed if the
criterion of 6 months of continuous psychotic illness is not met, but the patient exhibits more
than 2 weeks of delusions and hallucinations in the absence of mood symptoms.
14
2. Personality Disorders
Psychotic disorders (i.e., schizophrenia) and psychotic symptoms (i.e., hallucinations and
delusions) co-occur more significantly with the personality disorders of cluster A (paranoid,
schizoid, and schizotypal) [11, 75]. Cluster A personality disorders are frequently referred to
as schizophrenia spectrum disorders and are thought to represent clinical variants of severe
psychotic disorders [75] due to the presence of chronic, bizarre, or idiosyncratic thoughts or
behaviors that are analogous to those of schizophrenia. Symptoms of reduced affective
experience or expression (i.e., social withdrawal, anhedonia, and flat affect) are also
comparatively similar to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, but are experienced at a
substantially lesser degree [4, 5, 76]. Thus, even though the typical features of schizophrenia
are present, they are not of sufficient magnitude in either severity or degree of social
/occupational impairment to constitute schizophrenia [11]. In the DSM-IV [1] paranoid
personality disorder is defined as a pattern of suspiciousness whereby others motives are
interpreted as hostile or malevolent; schizoid personality disorder is defined as a pattern of
social detachment or indifference with a restricted range of affect; and schizotypal personality
disorder is defined as a pattern of cognitive and perceptual distortions, interpersonal deficits,
and odd behavior.
Of the Cluster A personality disorders, schizotypal personality disorder presents a
psychotic-like dimension that is more symptomatically and genetically related to
schizophrenia [11, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81]. More specifically, schizotypal personality disorder
patients have a profile of cognitive impairment and structural brain abnormalities, particularly
in the temporal cortex, similar to that found in patients with schizophrenia [77, 78].
Schizotypal personality disorder, like schizophrenia, is set apart by the presence of positive
symptoms (including ideas of reference, cognitive/perceptional distortions, and magical
thinking) and negative symptoms (i.e., cognitive disorganization). Despite their phenolmenological similarity, however, the deficits of schizoaffective personality disorder patients
are more circumscribed and selective compared to those of schizophrenia, which is
characterized by severe, generalized deterioration across a variety of domains [81]. The more
subtle cognitive impairments of patients with schizotypal personality disorder are reflected in
their eccentricity and interpersonal disengagement but do not reach the threshold of overt
psychosis [80]. The patient with schizotypal personality disorder may, as a result, appear
suspicious and superstitious; complain of vague ideas of reference and have few social
contacts; as well as report vague hallucinatory experiences, although none of these symptoms
reaches the level of those required to meet the symptoms listed in criterion A of schizophrenia
[11]. Thus, compared with schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder involves more
subtle positive symptoms, whereas the negative symptoms of withdrawal and blunting may be
as pronounced as those typical of schizophrenia [77, 79, 80]. Consequently, the severity of the
positive signs is the primary factor distinguishing between schizotypal personality disorder
and schizophrenia. Even though differentiation from schizophrenia may not be possible on
the basis of cross-sectional data, the course of the illness generally enables a differential
diagnosis: the patient with schizotypal personality disorder presents a stable clinical picture
over time, whereas the patient with schizophrenia presents a clinical picture marked by
progressive deterioration.
15
DIFFERENTIATING AMONG PRIMARY PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

Schizophrenia
The DSM-IV [1] diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia require the presence of
characteristic positive, negative, and/or disorganized symptoms (active phase symptoms) for a
significant portion of time for the duration of at least one month. Impairment in psychosocial
function and continuous signs of the disturbance must be evident for at least six months,
including at least one month of active phase symptoms but may include periods of prodromal
or residual symptoms. The longitudinal course of schizophrenia is classified as episodic,
continuous, or single episode, with remission, residual symptoms, and prominent negative
symptoms further specified. In addition, based on the constellation of symptoms present,
subtypes are specified as paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, and residual.
The symptoms of schizophrenia overlap with a wide range of other disorders that also
may involve psychotic symptoms as defining features. Establishing a diagnosis of schizophrenia, therefore, requires particularly close consideration of other overlapping disorders of
which psychosis is a defining symptom, including schizophreniform disorder; schizoaffective
disorder; delusional disorder; brief psychotic disorder, and shared psychotic disorder [5, 15,
20, 60, 63]. These disorders share various features of schizophrenia, tend to be more common
in the relatives of schizophrenia patients, and are treated with similar medications. These
diagnoses are distinguished from one another by history obtained from the patient and
collateral information about time, course, presence or absence of mood symptoms, and
presence or absence of stressors. Nevertheless, the symptoms of schizophrenia are in general
not sufficiently specific to make a definitive diagnosis, and it is important to follow the
longitudinal clinical course in making a differential diagnosis [11, 16, 70].
Schizophreniform Disorder
Schizophreniform disorder is a psychotic illness characterized by a symptomatic
presentation that is equivalent to schizophrenia but without the chronic course of that
disorder. To satisfy the diagnostic criteria for schizophreniform disorder, the patient must
display psychotic symptoms sufficient to meet DSM-IV criteria for the active phase of
schizophrenia, but returns to baseline functioning within six months [82]. Social or
occupational dysfunction is not required to meet the diagnosis, although it may occur at some
point in the illness [1]. Thus, schizophreniform disorder is likely to be the diagnosis in
patients who have an abrupt, rather than an insidious onset and who have a good premorbid
adjustment [11]. DSM-IV [1] describes two possible conditions for this diagnosis: (1) when
an individual has recovered from their symptoms within the six-month period (the "pure"
form of schizophreniform disorder) and (2) when six months have not yet elapsed since the
original symptoms began, hence, the patient does not meet the diagnostic criteria for
schizophrenia. For this latter condition, the term "provisional" is used. The distinction
between schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder is based on the presence of a
prodromal syndrome [73], mode of onset, the shorter course of the disorder (less than six
16
months for prodromal, active, and residual symptoms combined) and by the absence of
deterioration from previous levels of functioning with a gradual return into the normal
spectrum of behavior [11, 73, 82].
Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective disorder (SAD) represents an association between schizophrenic and
affective symptoms [66, 72, 83]. The disorder is characterized by persistent psychotic
symptoms and episodic mood disturbances of the depressive, manic, and/or mixed type. For a
diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder to be made, patients must, therefore, fulfill the criteria of
a major mood (depressive, manic or mixed manic) episode and present symptoms of
schizophrenia [67, 84]. Schizoaffective disorder differs from schizophrenia in that both
affective symptoms and the features of schizophrenia are equally prominent and occur
together [11, 67, 73, 82]. In contrast to schizophrenia, in schizoaffective disorder significant
mood symptoms as stated in the DSM-IV [1] must be present for a substantial portion of the
total duration of the disturbance. The mood symptoms in schizophrenia, on the other hand,
may have a duration that is brief comparative to the total duration of the disturbance; occur
only during the prodromal or residual phases, or do not meet full criteria for a mood episode
[11]. The delusions and hallucinations experienced in schizoaffective disorder, in addition,
tend to be less bizarre and less severe than those typical of schizophrenia [73]. Patients with
schizoaffective disorder may also have a relatively abrupt onset of illness and fail to meet the
six-month-duration criterion for schizophrenia [11]. In addition patients with schizophrenia
are more likely to exhibit loosening of associations and a blunted or inappropriate affect than
patients with schizoaffective disorder [73]. Since it is the temporal relationship between
psychotic and mood symptoms that distinguishes schizoaffective disorder from schizophrenic
and mood disorders, the differential diagnosis requires access to longitudinal clinical data,
which need to be assessed for temporal overlap and relative distribution over time [73, 82,
87].
Delusional Disorder
The diagnosis of delusional disorder is made when the patient exhibits non-bizarre
(plausible) delusions of at least one month's duration that cannot be attributed to other
psychiatric disorders, and the patients condition does not meet the criteria for schizophrenia
or schizophreniform disorder [1, 4, 5, 63]. Delusions are categorized according to their
content, and the predominant type (grandiose, erotomanic, jealous, persecutory, somatic,
mixed, or unspecified) is specified when the diagnosis is made. Of the subtypes of delusional
disorder, the persecutory type is the most common. Delusional disorder, persecutory subtype,
may be particularly difficult to differentiate from the paranoid type of schizophrenia [11, 82].
A distinguishing characteristic of patients with delusional disorder is that impairment of
functioning is limited to the circumscribed delusional system [1, 4, 22, 63] in which only a
single, well-encapsulated, non-bizarre delusional system is present [11], and personality
deterioration is minimal. Hallucinations, incoherence, disorganized behavior, fragmented
delusions and negative symptoms are not included in the diagnosis of delusional disorder, as
17
in typical schizophrenia [11]. When such symptoms occur in patients with delusional
disorder, they are not prominent and their themes tend to be congruent with the delusional
belief [22, 63], whereas in paranoid schizophrenia the delusions tend to be bizarre and are
accompanied by other clinical features of schizophrenia, such as prominent auditory
hallucinations, thought disorder, and deterioration of psychosocial functioning. Finally, age of
onset of delusional disorder is later than for schizophrenia, often over 50 years [11].
Brief Psychotic Disorder

A diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder requires the presence of delusions, hallucinations,
disorganized speech or grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, with duration of at least
one day, but less than one month [1]. Symptoms are often dramatic and florid and are often
thematically related to precipitating circumstances [82]. An acute onset with a rapid transition
from a non-psychotic state to florid psychosis is characteristic of brief and acute psychosis,
and an important element in the distinction from schizophrenia [84], which typically develops
gradually. Prompt recovery with a full return to premorbid level of functioning within a
month is dictated by definition.
Shared Psychotic Disorder

In this disorder, an individual who is not otherwise psychotic acquires a significant
others established delusional beliefs in the context of a close relationship and often in
isolation. The dominant partner (primary case) is typically more seriously ill and suffers
from a delusional psychosis, usually schizophrenia or delusional disorder [82]. A
characteristic feature of shared psychotic disorder is a pattern of dominance and submission.
Since the similarity of delusions between the two individuals is unique to shared psychotic
disorder, the primary issue in the differential diagnosis is ruling out the presence of
schizophrenia or other psychosis in the submissive partner (secondary case) [82].
CONCLUSION
Given the etiological heterogeneity of psychosis, the possibility of psychotic symptoms
representing an underlying non-psychiatric condition should be considered from the outset.
Even though primary psychiatric disorders with no identifiable biological etiology are often
accountable for the advent of psychosis, neurological, medical, and substance-related
disorders are often accompanied by symptoms of psychosis that are indistinguishable from
those seen in primary psychiatric disorders. The differential diagnosis of psychosis must,
therefore, be informed by a careful and thorough consideration of the multitude of secondary
conditions that can account for the clinical presentation of the client under evaluation.
During the initial phase of assessment, when the clinical picture is commonly unclear,
there is a heightened risk of failure to recognize the possibility of a secondary psychosis, or,
to mistakenly attribute the symptoms of a non-psychiatric condition to a primary psychiatric
18
disorder. Lack of familiarity with such complex clinical presentations can result in patients
receiving less than optimal management and care, with sometimes irreversible consequences.
This point in itself emphasizes the importance for clinicians to have a good knowledge of the
differential diagnosis of psychosis.
Even though the diagnosis of psychosis is not always definitive, the diagnostic approach
to psychosis that appears to be most accurate is one that encompasses an array of other
(possibly correctable) factors that might explain the symptoms. One essential element in the
differential diagnosis of the psychotic patient is the recognition of the distinctive constellation
of features of specific neurological and medical conditions of which psychosis is a symptom
and sign. In view of the fact that final diagnosis mainly depends on the exclusion of various
plausible etiological factors, knowledge about these conditions and the precise circumstances
under which psychotic symptoms present in their context, considerably increases diagnostic
accuracy. Correspondingly, given that psychotic states are frequently secondary to the use of
psychoactive substances, knowledge concerning the psychiatric effects of substances
significantly facilitates the assessment procedure and, thus, the formulation of the appropriate
treatment plan. The decision to request laboratory tests and neurological examinations is
based on history, clinical presentation, and the need to rule out any possible organic cause of
psychosis, whether a medical condition or substance abuse disorder. Findings obtained from
these examinations constitute important elements in the differential diagnosis of psychosis in
providing further evidence of a causative relationship between the symptoms and a specific
condition. Finally, diagnostic decisions concerning primary psychiatric disorders require a
longitudinal observation of the psychotic symptoms and the course of illness, with a
particular focus on their overlap with other disorders that may present with psychotic features.
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University press, 2004.

ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 2
PAEDIATRIC PSYCHOSIS:
DIAGNOSIS, DEVELOPMENTAL
TRAJECTORIES, CAUSES AND TREATMENT
Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous1*
and Cecilia Essau2
1
Psychology Program, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

2
Centre for Applied Research and Assessment in Child and
Adolescent Wellbeing (CARACAW), School of Human and
Life Sciences, Roehampton University, London, UK
ABSTRACT
The term Psychosis refers to an abnormal condition of the mind that is characterized
by disruptions in thinking and is accompanied by delusions and hallucinations. The
purpose of the current chapter is to review the up to date state of empirical literature on
Pediatric Psychosis as well as identify areas for future direction of research on an
understudied disorder that is cumbersome to diagnose, differentiate and treat. The chapter
begins with a brief overview of the diagnostic and associated features of the disorder and
the factors implicated in making the diagnosis elusive and at times inaccurate. It
continues with the differential diagnoses that are often implicated in the misdiagnosis of
psychotic symptomatology. The next section covers the sparse epidemiological data on
the prevalence followed by the factors implicated in the aetiology of the disorder. The
developmental considerations of the disorder are covered next. The final section reports
on the evidence-based status of the treatment approaches for Paediatric Psychosis and
identifies future directions of research.
E-mail: [email protected].
26
INTRODUCTION
Paediatric Psychosis (deriving from the Greek "psyche", for soul or mind and -
"-osis", for abnormal condition) is a clinical condition characterized by disrupted thinking and
accompanied by delusions1 and hallucinations2. The child has no insight into the pathological
nature of the hallucinations [1].
Historically, the definition of Psychosis in children has been surrounded by vagueness,
confusion and debate primarily because of the developmentally appropriate role of
imagination in the typically developing child. Paediatric Psychosis was originally
conceptualized as part of the spectrum of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Gradually,
by 1980 some consensus was reached that the essential features of Psychosis are essentially
the same across age. In the most recent revision of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) [1], the symptomatology of
Paediatric Psychosis does not differ from the symptomatology of adult psychosis. This
symptomatology includes disorganized or disturbed thought form and thought content,
disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behaviour, flat affect, poverty of speech and
lack of goal directed behaviour[1].
CLINICAL FEATURES, DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT

The diagnosis of paediatric Psychotic Disorders remains an unresolved ongoing debate.
In contrast to the diagnosis of adult Psychotic Disorders which is relatively reliable since their
symptomatology and phenomenology are well established, in children and particularly the
younger ones the diagnosis is elusive. The developmentally appropriate intrusions of fantasy
for the young children along with the developing cognitive abilities make the diagnosis
difficult to make and often inaccurate.
Clinical Features of Psychotic Disorders

The term psychotic describes a clinical condition that is characterized by inability to
evaluate the accuracy of ones thoughts and perceptions. Paediatric Psychotic Disorders in
line with the adulthood onset Psychotic Disorders are characterized by the so called positive
and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms are present in the psychotic patient and nonpresent in the non- patient. Negative symptoms describe normal functions that are present in
the non- patient but absent in the psychotic patient. A psychotic symptom or clusters of
symptoms are connected to a specific Psychotic Disorder as defined by a certain number of
symptoms occurring over a specific duration of time with evident impairment. Delusions
(false beliefs) and prominent hallucinations (erroneous perceptions) are usually considered as
the basis of diagnosis of Psychotic Disorders [1].
1
2
Illusions are false beliefs that typically involve a misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences.
hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality (i.e. auditory, visual etc). Auditory hallucinations are the most
common and they are experienced as voices that are perceived as distinct from the individuals own thoughts.
Paediatric Psychosis
27
The DSM includes a section of specific Psychotic Disorders that are characterised by
psychotic symptoms as prominent aspect of their presentation [1]. This section includes
Schizophrenia, Schziphreniform Disorder, Delusional Disorder, Shared Psychotic Disorder,
Substance Induced Psychotic Disorder, Brief Psychotic Disorder, Scizopaffective Disorder,
Psychotic Disorder due to a General Medical Condition, and Psychotic Disorder Not
Otherwise Spedified [1].
The Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia is characterized by the positive symptoms of gross
disturbance of thought process or thought content, whereas delusions most possibly appear
(or become apparent) with increasing age [2]. Negative symptoms in the schizophrenic child
include flat affect, and paucity of speech and thought [3]. Younger children with ChildhoodOnset Schizophrenia are reported to have fewer delusions and catatonic symptoms, but they
exhibit hallucinations, disordered thought process and flattened affect [4]. For diagnostic
purposes symptoms have to be present for a significant amount of time during one month
with some characteristics of the disorder persisting for over 6 months [1]. This duration
criteria is particularly important in the diagnosis of schizophrenia in childhood given the
transient delusional or hallucinatory characteristics that the children could potentially present
[5]. Further for diagnostic purposes the psychotic symptoms need to be accompanied by
social dysfunction and should not be attributable to another disorder or a general medical
condition [1]. For those children that they have previously been diagnosed with a Pervasive
Developmental Disorder the additional diagnosis of Schizophrenia is given when delusions
and/or hallucinations are present for one month [1].
The Schizophreniform Disorder is characterised by features that are identical to
Schizophrenia apart from the Duration criterion. The Duration criterion for the diagnosis of
the Schizophreniform Disorder is determined by the presence of psychotic symptomatology
for a period of less than 6 months and more than 2 weeks (including prodromal, active and
residual phases) [5].
Duration criterion is also the one that determines the diagnosis of Brief Psychotic
Disorder which is characterised by the presence of psychotic features for more than a day and
less than a month [1]. But given the transient delusional or hallucinatory characteristics that
the children could potentially present [5] this disorder is considered of little importance for
consideration in childhood diagnosis.
Of little clinical importance for consideration in childhood diagnosis are also considered
the Delusional Disorder which is characterized by at least 1 month of non-bizarre delusions
without other characteristics of Schizophrenia, the Shared Psychotic Disorder which is
presented by delusions that are influenced by another individual who has longer-term
delusions of similar content and the Substance-induced Psychotic Disorder which is
considered to be the physiological consequent of a medical condition [5].
The Schizoaffective Disorder is characterized by positive and negative symptoms as well
as symptoms of a Major Depressive Episode, a Manic Episode, or a Mixed Episode [1]. These
clusters of symptoms and their interaction often make the diagnosis cumbersome. Particularly
in the initial stages of Schizoaffective Disorder in children psychotic symptoms may be
overshadowed by the presence of mood symptoms [2]. According to the DSM-IV the phase
of the illness with psychotic symptoms only must last at least 2 weeks to distinguish
Schizoaffective Disorder from a Mood Disorder with psychotic features. During these 2
weeks mood symptoms may be present but they are non-prominent. Often it is troublesome to
28
make a decision of where to draw the line of non-prominent mood symptoms. Repeated
observations and a combination of a set of multiple sources of information are necessary for a
precise diagnosis [1].
The Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified is utilised to encompass characterized
psychotic symptomatology for which there is not adequate information that would allow
diagnosis of another Psychotic Disorder, for which there is contradictory information or do
not meet full criteria for a specific psychotic disorder [1]. Despite that the Psychotic Disorder
Not Otherwise Specified is included in the DSM its validity has been questioned and the
reliable diagnosis of psychosis during childhood at present remains cumbersome.
The reliable diagnosis of Psychotic Disorders is further confounded by the fact that apart
from the specific Psychotic Disorders that are included in the DSM section of Psychotic
Disorders (on the basis of having psychotic symptoms as prominent aspect of their
presentation) there is a series of other disorders that may present with psychotic symptoms as
associated features [1] (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder with Psychotic Features, Bipolar
Disorder with Psychotic Features, Substance-Induced Delirium. These Disorders do not have
psychosis as their prominent feature, but, they may often be present with psychotic symptoms
as associate features and in effect confound the diagnosis.
Differential Diagnoses
Misdiagnosis of Paediatric Psychosis is common. For example an acute onset manic
episode could be erroneously diagnosed as Schizophrenia, as hallucinations and delusions
may be evident (usually mood congruent). Psychotic symptomatology in youngsters need to
be differentiated against anticipatory anxiety related to Anxiety Disorders, to obsessions
related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, rumination related to Depression, perseverative
thoughts related to Developmental Disorders, disorganized behaviour related to AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), disorganised speech related to Communication
Disorders [1]. Additionally, language and cognitive deficits related to mental retardation may
erroneously be perceived as indicative of Psychosis in non-psychotic children [2].
Nonspecific symptoms, such as anxiety, distractibility, and irritability, may precede a
psychotic symptom and confound the diagnosis. Furhemore temporal lobe epilepsy despite
being quite elusive in its detection needs to be considered in differential diagnosis of
Psychotic Disorders [6].
In adolescence, psychotic symptomatology could be associated with, or be secondary to a
variety of other disorders such as epilepsy, substance abuse, mood disorders [7, 8] For
instance affective psychosis (related to mood disorders), dissociative psychosis (i.e. related to
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD, or Dissociative Identity Disorder) or psychosis that
is secondary to substance abuse is commonly seen in clinical practice [6] and can create
diagnostic confusion. In effect, quite often in clinical practice the differential diagnosis of
Psychotic Disorders is hard to be anticipated. For example the differentiation between
Psychotic Disorders and Bipolar I Disorder (especially in adolescence is particularly
cumbersome since these disorders may share a series of presenting symptoms such as
grandiose and persecutory delusions, agitation, irritability and catatonic symptoms [1]. In
such cases, features that discriminate between psychotic disorders and Bipolar I need to be
considered. For instance, in contrast to Bipolar I Disorder, the Psychotic Disorders are
29
characterised by periods of psychotic symptoms that occur in the absence of prominent mood
symptoms [1]. On the other hand, manic and depressive symptoms could be present in
Schizophrenia, Delusional Disorder and Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwishe Specified but
they are rarely adequate (in terms of duration and pervasiveness) for diagnosis of a Manic or a
Major Depressive Episode [1]. Apart from the accompanying prominent symptoms other
parameters, such as appearance and developmental course of the displayed symptomatology,
as well as family history can assist in the differential diagnosis.
Associated Features
There is scarce empirical evidence that address plausible associated features of Paediatric
Psychotic Disorders. Several empirical investigations have linked Paediatric Schizophrenia
with gross and fine motor delays, hypotonia, poor coordination, sensory integration
difficulties, and significant delays and dysfunctions in language development [9] that
designate developmental abnormalities in language processes. Schizophrenic youngsters
further display symptoms that are typically linked with Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
These symptoms include stereotypic behaviour, such as hand flapping, preservative smelling
and touching [2]. Further, children with Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia have shown clinical
features that are associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder such as attention
problems, distractibility, and other dysfunctions of executive functioning [10]. Further,
children with Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia show diminished scores on IQ tests relative to
the typically developing children [11]. However, neurocognitive studies reveal that these
lower IQ scores may primarily be reflective of neurocognitive deficits [12].Youngsters with
Paediatric Schizophrenia have shown neurobiological abnormalities such as reduced volume
of the brain (frontal, temporal-limbic, thalamus, cerebellum), altered neuronal connections,
enlarged ventricles, reduced brain activity, lower reaction of autonomic nervous system and
neurotransmitter dysfunction (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate) [13].
Socioemotional deficits and characteristics of impaired communication such as
withdrawal, isolation ineptness, moodiness, flat affect and absence of social interest have also
been documented in schizophrenic samples of children [14].
While the few empirical studies that investigated associated features of paediatric
psychoses focused on Schizophrenia there is scarce data that documented developmental
delays and cognitive deficits (e.g. attention, learning, abstraction) in children with other
psychotic disorders such as in Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified [15]. These data
might be suggestive of the unidimentionality of the Psychotic Spectrum Disorders. However,
the scarcity of the empirical evidence does not allow conclusions to be drawn with
confidence.
Further the most empirical evidence derives from cross-sectional designs and in effect
inferences of causality cannot be assumed. The development of the associated features of
Psychotic Spectrum Disorders need to be studied from the very initial stages of the childs
development and require explicit longitudinal validation.
30
Assessment
Prior to diagnosis of psychosis, a comprehensive neurological examination is obligatory
due to the fact that medical and neurological conditions could potentially mimic Psychotic
Spectrum disorders.
Upon completion of medical and neurological examination, diagnosis of psychosis is
based on multifaceted assessment encompassing a structured diagnostic interview such as the
Schedule for Affective Disorders for School-Aged children (K-SADS) [16]. The structured
diagnostic interview is further supplemented by a series of other assessments encompassing
historical information, cognitive, psychological, behavioural and syndrome-specific
assessments.
Turning first to historical information this includes information on pregnancy
complications, developmental milestones, age of onset and course of symptomatology, and
family history (including physical and mental health of extended family). Beyond historical
information cognitive assessment includes IQ testing which has been considered a vital
element of cognitive evaluation. IQ scores are expected to drop following onset of
schizophrenia [17]. Empirical evidence has indeed shown negative correlation between IQ
scores and schizophrenic symptomatology. For instance the FIQ (Full Scale IQ), VIQ
(Comprehension and Knowledge of Verbal Concepts, and FFD (Freedom from Distractibility
i.e. later renamed as working memory in the WAIS -III) scales of WISC-III (Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition), have been found to be negatively correlated
with the number of loose associations [18]. Further IQ scores have been reported to be
negatively correlated with negative symptoms [19]. Correlational data however need to be
interpreted with caution since they allow no inferences of causality links.
Beyond intellectual deficits children with psychosis show deficits in adaptive functioning
in areas such as social interaction, self-care and communication. The administration of an
adaptive behaviour scale such as the Vineland Adaptive Scale (VABS) [20] or the Adaptive
Behaviour Evaluation Scale (ABES) [21] provides useful information with respect to the
specific adaptive skill deficit that would need to be addressed in the intervention plan.
Projective testing provides the clinician vital information about thought and perceptual
processes and determine the nature of the thought disorder that potentially affects the
psychotic child. The most commonly used projective test for evaluation of the nature of
thought processes of psychotic children is the Thematic Apperception Test [22] and the
Rorschach Test [23]. Incoherent, disorganized responses to projective testing are indicative of
a thought disorder. Psychotic diagnosis however should not be ruled out on the basis of
projective testing in isolation [24]. Some psychotic children are able to sustain an organized
presentation during testing (especially if they are not stressed by the testing conditions) while
others present with fluctuation of the degree of thought disorder depending whether they have
a psychotic episode during testing. When they are not in a psychotic episode they are likely to
give appropriate responses while when during a psychotic episode they will give a substantial
number of awkward responses (e.g. combination of inappropriate images into a single whole
i.e. snake with 6 legs) that are assumed to reflect a breakdown in the thinking process [24]
The Kiddie Formal Thought Disorder Rating Scale [25] is an observer-rating scale of
four types of thought disorder derived from DSM: illogical thinking, loose association,
incoherence, and poverty of content of speech. It is administered by playing the Kiddie
Formal Thought Disorder Story Game [25] with the child and then coding the childs answers
31
to the game. The Kiddie Formal Thought Disorder Story Game has three parts: In the first
part, the child listens to an audiotaped story and then s/he is required to repeat the story and
answer questions that are based on the story. In the second part, the child is asked to create a
story based on one of four topics. The third part is the same with the first part. The childs
responses are videotaped for later scoring [26].The childs responses to the three parts of the
story game are coded into the four thought disorder categories on the basis of operational
definitions and illustrations for each category. A total score is derived by summing the
category scores. Interrater reliability for the K-FTDS is considered satisfactory [26]. Illogical
thinking, loose association, and total scores have been reported to discriminate between
psychotic and non-psychotic samples [25]. Clinically, the K-FTDS is of limited utility
because of its time-consuming coding procedure.
With respect to behavioural assessment, the Thought problems, Somatic Complains, and
Withdrawal subscales of the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist CBCL) [27] the Teachers
Report Forms (TRF) [28] and the Youth Self Reports [27] are likely to be elevated in the
psychotic child and youth. The elevation of these subscales items however are not a sole
characteristic of psychotic spectrum disorders but they are likely to be reflective of other
psychiatric diagnoses as well and consequently caution should be exercised since no
diagnostic specificity to psychoses applies to these elevated subscales. Further, none of the
Achenbach scales addresses psychotic symptomatology.
A further behavioural assessment commonly used in the assessment of the psychotic
child is the Behaviour Assessment System for Children (BASC) [29]. The BASC Atypicality
Subscale includes items taping hallucinations, loss of control and loss of touch with reality.
These items are consistent with the positive symptoms of Schizophrenia. Nonetheless, the
BASC Atypicality Subscale also includes items that are reflective of other disorders such as
Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Consequently, elevated scores on the BASC Atypicality
Subscale should not be considers as indicator of only psychotic symptoms but also as
indicative of other unusual behaviours as well. The BASC Withdrawal, Leadership and Social
Skills Subscales consist of items indicative of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia as well
as with items indicative of the social maladjustment characteristic of the disorder.
The Child Symptom Inventory - 4 (CSI-4) [30, 31] and the Adolescent Symptom
Inventory (ASI-4)- [32, 33] parent and teacher report) include subsets of items that are
intended to tap schizophrenic symptomatology as reflected in DSM-IV. The CSI-4 also
includes subscales for depressive symptomatology, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, as
well as anxiety symptomatology. The ASI-4 includes subscales for Depressive Disorders,
Anxiety Disorders, Schizoid Personality Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse. Given the
broad coverage of alternative symptomatology that is corresponsive to DSM symptomatology
is particularly useful in determining alternative diagnosis or comorbit features to be probed in
the structures interview.
The Personality Inventory for Youth (PIY) [34] provides useful insight into the
youngsters self reported symptomatology. On the PIY youngsters with Psychotic Spectrum
Disorders show elevated Reality Distortion Subscale, Illusions and Hallucinations Subscale.
The Social Withdrawal and Social Skills Deficits Scales provide information about social
functioning and negative symptoms of Schizophrenia. More specifically the Isolation
Subscale of the Social Withdrawal Scale indicates symptoms that are characteristic of
withdrawal and isolation when the youngster displays negative symptoms of Psychosis.
32
Despite the variety of instruments that are available to the clinician for the multifaceted
assessment of psychotic symptomatology the diagnosis of Paediatric Psychosis remains
cumbersome, given that they are intertwined with the childs cognitive and socioemotional
development. For instance the assessment of thought disorder is confounded by the young
childs language skills. Additionally reported hallucinations are not always indicative of
psychosis. Non-psychotic children report seeing ghosts or hearing voices [35, 36, 37]. These
hallucinations do not designate symptomatology of psychosis.
While diagnosis of psychosis is young children is particularly troublesome it gets less
problematic in adolescents whose thinking process gradually with age becomes more adultlike. Although even in adolescents reported hallucinations have not always shown to be
indicative of fully-blown psychosis [38, 36] Consequently, the assessment and diagnostic
findings of psychosis in children and adolescents should be treated with particular caution.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
The epidemiology of Paediatric Psychotic Spectrum Disorders is still unclear. Sparse
epidemiological data suggest that Paediatric Psychosis is rare. These epidemiological data
provide estimates of paediatric Schizophrenia to be no more than 1% [39]. Schizophrenia
with onset during middle to late adolescence is reported to be in the range of 0.5 to 1.5% [1].
Other reports provide even lower prevalence by suggesting that Schizophrenia in general
population is around 1%. Among this 1% of individuals who develop Schizophrenia only 1%
have age of onset prior to age 10 and another 4% have onset prior to age 15 [39]. In this
variance on prevalence estimates, factors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, assessment
instruments, methods of combination of data between parent reports and child reports, as well
as the employed diagnostic criteria and time could potentiality be implicated. With respect to
age several investigations for instance report that Psychosis is diagnosed during adolescence
rather than earlier [39]. This finding however does not necessarily mean that prevalence is
higher in adolescence. It might be that many children with Psychosis are not referred until the
disorder shows more adult-like features, or deteriorates. Further, as discussed above the
developmentally appropriate fantasies in children makes the diagnosis in childhood elusive.
As far as gender is concerned, most empirical investigations report male-to-female ratio
averaging 1.5-2:1. With respect to ethnic origin effects, certain population groups, for
instance second generation African carrebians living in UK have been reported to have a far
higher incidence [1]. However, the data are mixed and they may reflect biases deriving on
overreliance on hospital records and they may not reflect community based samples. Further,
birth cohort studies showed several geographical and historical variations in prevalence. For
instance, higher risk has been reported in lower socioeconomic classes and in urban-born
individuals versus rural-born individuals [40]. Also, lower prevalence has been reported for
later-born versus earlier born birth cohorts [1]. Again most of these data sets concern
Schizophrenia rather than the wider spectrum of Psychotic Disorders. The prevalence of this
wider spectrum of Psychotic Disorders is even more difficult to be determined given the rarity
of the diagnosis of these disorders and the diagnostic confusion with which they are
33
characterised. For instance, the Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified in children is
hard to determine, due to the vagueness of the term and the surrounded controversy over its
validity.
As far as diagnostic criteria and time is concerned, it seems that prevalence rates are
differentiated slightly with time as well as with the refinements in the diagnostic criteria. It
seems that across time, prevalence rates will be more clearly set as our knowledge about
childhood onset psychosis increases, as well as diagnostic criteria become more sensitive to
the childrens unique developmental characteristics. Further, it is possible that prevalence
rates of Psychotic Spectrum Disorders are confounded by the diagnostic confusion that results
in misdiagnosis of Psychosis.
A notable point in relation to prevalence rates and future direction of research is that the
data primarily derive from Caucasian and African-American children. Further investigations
are needed to look into prevalence rates across other cultures and factors implicated in the
possible variance in prevalence rates across these cultures. Beyond cultural effects,
developmental epidemiological studies are needed to determine prevalence patterns, as well
as factors implicated in prevalence across developmental stages.
AETIOLOGY
The current understanding about the aetiology of Paediatric Psychotic Disorders is
limited and it primarily derives from adult schizophrenic samples with only a few studies
focusing on child and adolescent samples. The preponderance of evidence is suggestive
of no single cause of Psychosis. Most evidence indicates that Paediatric Psychosis is a
Neurodevelopment Disorder that evolves from an underpinning genetic vulnerability, a
prenatal insult to the developing brain, and stressful life events.
Turning first to the role of genetic vulnerability, its role has long been documented by
empirical investigations. Empirical studies have reported increased prevalence of
Schizophrenia and Psychotic Spectrum Disorders in first degree relatives of schizophrenic
children. Systematic reviews of genetic research provide estimates of concordance rates of
Schizophrenia to be two and a half to three times higher in identical twins than in dizygotic
twins [41, 42]. Importantly, adoption studies provide further support to the genetic basis of
the disorder. These studies documented that adopted children who develop Psychosis have
increased number of biological (but not adoptive) relatives who develop the disorder. Also,
there is evidence that affected children who were born by a psychotic mother but were
adopted as babies are at the same risk level as the infants who were born and raised by a
psychotic mother [43, 44]. In general, the risk of Schizophrenia has been reported to increase
dramatically from 1 percent in individuals without family history of the illness, to 10 percent
in individuals who have a first degree relative who is psychotic, to 50 percent in psychotic
identical twins. In addition, children with first degree relatives that are affected are reported to
have higher risk for earlier onset of the disorder [41, 42]. Further it has been documented that
the risk for development of the disorder increases with the number of affected relatives. In
other words, the more the affected relatives the higher the risk for the development of the
disorder [41, 42]. In addition, it has been documented that even when relatives of affected
individuals did not themselves develop the disorder they still had increased risk for other
34
mental health problems such as mood disorders [45]. This finding provides support to the
postulation that the increased risk documented in families of affected individuals might not be
best accounted by a genetic transmission of psychoses, but, rather a more general model of
risk of undifferentiated transmission of psychopathology might be implicated.
Apart from the well established genetic vulnerability, several investigations [46], but not
all [47], have documented complications during pregnancy and delivery in adult samples with
psychotic disorders. The combination of genetic predisposition and evidence of acquired
damage has provided corroborative support to a neurodevelopmental theory with early
Central Nervous System (CNS) abnormalities that contribute to an increased vulnerability to
schizophrenia later in life. Prenatal insults may include viral infections, such as maternal
influenza in the second trimester [48, 49], lack of oxygen at birth, starvation, and untreated
blood type incompatibility. An augmentation in minor dysmorphic features has been
considered as suggestive of prenatal-onset problems. An augmentation in hypoxia-associated
complications was reported to increase the odds of developing earlier-onset Schizophrenia.
Unlike most adult-onset patients, children who become psychotic prior to puberty show
conspicuous evidence of progressively abnormal brain development. However, these findings
need to be interpreted with caution, since they may be suggestive of increased risk for
development of Psychosis, but, by no means can be considered as establishing causality.
Beyond genetic predisposition and prenatal insults to the developing brain, psychosocial
stressors and dysfunctional family processes have been implicated in the development and
deterioration of psychotic symptoms. For instance, family interaction characterised by
dysfunctional thinking and attention, as well as, disturbed relationships has been linked to
Schizophrenia [1]. Also, other extraordinary family stressors and their effect on the timing of
onset or outburst of the illness in the genetically vulnerable individual is a domain of research
that warrants further attention by empirical investigations.
To conclude, despite the empirical findings that established that Paediatric Psychoses are
underpinned by genetic vulnerability, a prenatal insult to the developing brain, and stressful
life events the interaction of these factors and the possibly differentiated patterns across the
development of the child are yet to be determined. For instance, it is plausible that the genetic
vulnerability could be diferentiately expressed depending on the timing of the stressful
events coupled with each vulnerables child unique temperamental characteristics. Future
investigations need to address closely the complex interplay of numerous genetic and
environmental factors implicated in the development of psychosis and the plausible
differentiated interplay of these factors in the genesis and the development of psychosis.
DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES AND PROGNOSIS

Psychosis in children is very seldom diagnosed before the age of 7. As discussed above
the developmentally appropriate fantasy lives of young children would not allow diagnosis at
earlier age. While Psychosis in young adults typically begins as an acute psychotic episode, in
children and especially pre-adolescents in most of the cases it emerges progressively with
only a few of the reported incidences to be showing abrupt onset. For instance in a study
investigating the onset of the Disorder in children and adolescents aged 7-17 in most of the
cases (60-78%) onset was insidious with gradual increase of the symptomatology. In only
35
a small percentage the onset was acute [50]. Preliminary data on gender effects have
documented a more insidious onset in boys relative to girls [51], but, this preliminary finding
requires further investigation.
Empirical investigations have documented a variety of psychological symptoms of
various disorders prior to providing adequate criteria for diagnosis of psychosis.
Hyperactivity, agitation and marked mood changes have been reported to be commonly
displayed prior to displaying symptomatology of psychosis [52]. Additionally, onset of the
Paediatric Psychosis has been documented to be often preceded by developmental
disturbances, such as lags in motor and speech/language development, school problems and
odd personality [15, 7, 53]. The observation of these features as preceding to the onset of
Psychosis has given rise to the question whether these characteristics can justifiably be
interpreted as precursors of early manifestations of the disorder[13], and in effect allowing
diagnosis of early onset Psychosis to become more likely during school age.
As it would be expected the developmental level of the affected child affects his/her
psychotic experiences [54]. Young childrens hallucinations typically include monsters, toys
and animals and they are uncomplicated. Similarly, their delusions when they first make their
appearance are simple (e.g. the monster will kill me), but, they gradually become more
complex and systematic and as it would be expected they are intertwined with the childs
cognitive and socioemotional development [55]. Adolescent onset Psychosis in comparison to
Paediatric Onset Psychosis has relatively less insidious onset and as it would be expected it
presents more adult like features of the disorder. For example, dilutions of Psychotic
adolescents are relatively more systematized and more complex relative to Psychotic
childrens delusions [56].
Most empirical reports on the prognosis of child- and adolescent-onset Psychosis reveal a
variable clinical course [57] most likely based on the severity and nature of the symptoms and
the potential stressors in the youngsters life conditions. For most Psychotic children,
Psychosis persists through lifetime. Most Psychotic youngsters will enter adulthood and their
clinical condition will be characterized by exacerbations and remissions [58]. Among those
youngsters whose condition persists into adulthood some will show a stable symptomatology,
while others will show progressive deterioration with the expression of symptoms often
fluctuating with the levels of stress experienced by the individual. Full recovery is extremely
rare. 42-years follow up of cases that had age of onset by 14 years of age, 50% had a
continuous severe course, 25 % had partial recovery, and 25 % were characterised as having
recovered [59]. The 25 % that was characterized as having recovered is not low. Nonetheless,
these findings should be interpreted with caution since often Psychotic individuals may
not any more meet criteria for diagnosis of Psychosis, but, nonetheless their symptomatology
is differentiately expressed as another form of psychopathology that warrants further
investigation.
With respect to mortality, scarce data suggest relatively high premature mortality rates in
individuals with child- and adolescent-onset Psychosis. Factors such as undetected medical
conditions, suicide and other violent events have been considered to be implicated in the
premature death of Psychotic individuals [60, 61]. Comorbit clinical conditions such as
Depression could also be implicated in the link of Psychosis to premature death.
However, despite the fact in the most of the cases the prognosis of Psychosis can best be
characterized as moderate and full recovery is extremely rare, there are a series of factors that
are predictive of a better prognosis. These factors include associated mood disturbance,
36
absence of structural brain abnormalities, and normal neurological functioning, treatment with
antipsychotic soon after onset [1]. If significant time elapses between onset and treatment the
potential consequences are worse, impacting the emotional, occupational, and social
functioning of the individual in the long-term. Yet, the empirical data on the possible effect of
resilience factors are still minimal. Future investigations need to examine risk and resilience
factors and their potential interaction.
Further research also is needed to examine the plausible interactive factors implicated in
spontaneous remission. More generally future prospective longitudinal studies are necessary
for determining diverse developmental trajectories and factors implicated in these diverse
trajectories.
TREATMENT
To date, there is still minimal empirical data reporting on the efficacy of pharmaco
therapy and psychosocial treatments specific to paediatric psychoses. Early diagnosis of
paediatric psychoses is of crucial importance for the treatment outcome of the disorder. A
complete multifaceted evaluation (described above) is necessary for the development of a
comprehensive individual treatment plan to address individual difficulties.
Treatment strategies are typically intended to address the psychotic symptomatology, but,
at the same time to address plausible comorbid conditions and psychosocial stressors. If there
is corroborative evidence that delusions or hallucinations are the direct physiological
consequence of a general medical condition, then, the very first step is to deal with these
conditions. For example, treating a partial complex seizure disorder, managing a metabolic
imbalance, or treating an underlying infection. In the cases when there is no evidence of a
medical condition linked to psychotic symptomatology, then, the next step is to evaluate
whether the psychotic features are secondary to another psychiatric diagnosis such as
Depression or Mania. If the psychotic symptomatology is secondary to Depression for
example, then, the child will be prescribed with antidepressant (e.g. selective serotonergic
reuptake inhibitors such as flouxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, clomipramine)
often accompanied by the use of antipsychotic medications.
Standard antipsychotic drugs appear to be effective for many psychotic youngsters. The
atypical drug Clozapine has been found helpful for at least half of those youngsters who do
not respond to other medication. In few cases, psychotic symptoms show substantial
remission. However, despite the significant treatment outcomes of antipsychotic drugs
children may be more susceptible than adults to the toxic effects of this medication. For
instance, about one third of psychotic youngsters that are prescribed with Clozapine
discontinue its use it because of its side effects and the serious risks that Clozapine carries.
These risks include seizures and serious blood abnormalities, and therefore, it should
solitarily be used only in cases that do not respond to other medications [15]. Newer
antipsychotic drugs that may be safer and just as effective are now being under investigation.
While psychopharmacological treatment has been acknowledged as a promising
treatment modality, findings reporting on the efficacy of this treatment must still be
considered preliminary. Most data derive from clinical trials with older adolescents or adult
samples. In fact, few randomised psychopharmacological studies have reported on the
37
efficacy of psychopharmacological treatment approaches on Childhood Psychoses and most

data derive from adult samples. In effect, rigorous studies on treatment outcome of
pharmacological interventions are crucially needed.
While pharmacological intervention can be of value [39], since the developmental
consequences of not controlling psychotic symptoms at an early age can be detrimental, it
does not negate the need for psychosocial interventions. In brief, these interventions typically
include family psychoeducational approaches that encompass psychoeducation of the child
and the parent about psychoses, enhancing strategies for coping with the psychiatric
condition, training in family communication, training in problem-solving and the provision of
supportive psychotherapy during the recovery phase of the acute illness, and practical
guidance of behaviour [15]. Ongoing supportive psychosocial treatment helps patients deal
more effectively with psychosocial stressors. Clinicians also work with the parents with the
schools and other social agencies to make sure that psychotic youngsters will continue their
education while their individual needs will be addressed.
The most commonly used psychosocial treatment for psychotic children is the
behavioural approach which focuses on the youngsters observable behaviours, rather than on
thoughts and perceptual processes. Behavioural treatment for Paediatric Psychosis appears to
be promising [62]. It typically encompasses environmental structures, contingency
management, and adaptive skill interventions [24]. Skill interventions are intended to improve
the childs basic social, self-care, and organizational skills.
The Environmental Structure Interventions are intended to encourage internal structure of
thought processes by increasing external structure which is expected to provide the child with
a positive model of structure. Environmental Structure is achieved by organizing the childs
living environment by increasing the predictability, organization, and scheduling of the
childs daily life. Organization is reviewed and restored every day in ordered to maintain a
well structured environment for the child on every day basis. The Environmental Structure
also encompasses the childs daily schedule which is kept as predictable and active as
possible. Social, mental, and physical activity is encouraged, and withdrawal is discouraged.
The well structured environment and the predictability of the childs everyday activities are
expected to reduce stress levels that would potentially evoke a psychotic episode.
The Contingency Management interventions are intended to decrease the frequency and
severity of psychotic symptomatology. This intervention is based on the assumption that
psychotic behaviour, like any other behaviour, can be reduced by altering the contingencies
that sustain the behaviour. A series of behavioural techniques are utilized within the
framework of contingency management. At the first step, the psychotic behaviours are
operationally defined. Next, the antecedents and consequences of the behaviour are identified
by the therapist with the assistance of the parents and the child. For a more accurate
identification of the antecedents and consequences, the parent keeps record of antecedents
and consequences for a period of time (usually 2 weeks). The frequency of the occurrences of
the behaviour is also recorded in order to determine the severity of the displayed
symptomatology and to have a baseline for reviewing treatment outcome. The Identification
of the Antecedents and Consequences is followed by the Differential Reinforcement of Other
Behaviour. In this step, the non-occurrence of the psychotic behaviour (differential
reinforcement of other behaviour) and the occurrence of behaviours that are incompatible
with the target behaviour (differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour) are
reinforced. Reinforcement is provided on a fixed-interval schedule, in which the psychotic
38
child is rewarded if the behaviour does not occur for a certain period of time (depending on
the initial frequency of the behaviour, this time period may range from 5 minutes to a day). In
addition to the Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviour, the technique of active
ignoring of the target psychotic behaviour is also utilized. Finally, the technique of
Antecedents Management is used. For instance, a youngster who displays schizophrenic
behaviours after loud arguments of the parents the antecedent management would be to
address marital conflict. If this compilation of contingency management interventions work
the intervention continues with newly targeted schizophrenic behaviours such as showing
inappropriate affect, reported hallucinations, random babbling. For those behaviours that
treatment has worked the intervals between reinforcement are increased and the amount of
reinforcement is reduced. If the intervention does not work it is modified. For instance,
reinforces may be modified to improve their effectiveness.
In most of the cases these behavioural interventions are further complemented by
Adaptive Skills Interventions. The Adaptive Skills Interventions are intended to tap social,
organization, and self-care deficits that often characterise children with psychosis. Upon
identifying the specific adaptive skills deficit (e.g. eye contact, showing appropriate affect,
apprehending the communication of others, keeping a clean working/living space, and
keeping appropriate hygiene) with the utilisation of an adaptive scale see section on this
chapter on assessment) clear goals and expectations for social interaction and self-care, are set
on the basis of each childs individualized deficits. Once adaptive skills deficits are identified
goals reflecting the deficits are set. Once goals are set, modelling, rehearsal, and education are
used to practice and demonstrate goal behaviour during therapeutic sessions, and the
psychotic child is expected to record and evaluate progress toward the goal. The childs
caregivers and professionals from the school setting (i.e. primary teacher) are also involved in
the Adaptive Skills Intervention, by helping out in the process of s of identifying and
achieving goal behaviours and rewarding the child when goal behaviours are achieved,
utilising Contingency Management Techniques, such as those overviewed above.
A major part of Adaptive Skills package is the Social Skills Training which is often
implemented in a group format so the child will have the opportunity to practice newly
acquired social skills with peers. Depending on the level of deficits of psychotic children
social skills programs are adjusted to tap the identified deficits. For instance, the social skills
intervention for children that display a substantial degree of social skills deficits would
target development of skills for appropriate eye contact, smiling, physical space, content of
conversation, voice volume and inflection, acknowledgments, conversational openers,
compliments, requests. For psychotic children that display relatively less deficits comparatively more advance social skills would be targeted. For instance, reading social cues,
giving and receiving compliments, expressing oneself nonverbally, starting and ending a
conversation, asking questions and answering questions when asked, expressing emotions and
apprehending what others are thinking and feeling and developing empathy, joining a group
conversation, disagreeing with others, setting limits on others and resisting peer pressure, and
persuading others. The process of social skills training sessions which are typically group
based include initial explanation of the skill followed by practice techniques such as
modelling, role play, rehearsal and feedback from the therapists and the other group members.
Once the newly acquired skill is achieved in the therapeutic setting, the next step is to be
39
applied in the psychotic childs home environment and school setting with the reinforcement
of the caregivers and teachers for the best possible learning outcome of the newly acquired
skill.
While this combination of behavioural techniques have been reported to decrease
psychotic symptomatology in certain samples of children with psychosis, behaviour
techniques only indirectly address the cognitive characteristics of psychosis. Given that many
children with Psychosis have been reported to have no control over their behaviour during a
psychotic episode and in effect diminished ability to purposefully respond to a reinforcement
schedule the utility of behaviour techniques for this subset of psychotic children has been
questioned. Nonetheless, behavioural techniques can be of value in between psychotic
episodes. Also, behaviour techniques when used in suitable timing in combination with
pharmacotherapy can result in encouragement of appropriate behaviours. Behavioural therapy
can also be useful when used in combination with pharmacotherapy at the timing when the
medication reduces the negative symptoms.
Apart from the behaviour techniques family therapy has been utilized for the treatment
of Psychotic Disorders. This approach addresses the childs psychotic symptomatology
within the family system. In certain situations the childs symptomatology may serve the
psychological needs of another family member. For instance, a mother who has the need to
care for a highly depended child. In such a case the psychotic child serves the needs of the
mother and therefore preserves the family system. In such cases the therapist would try to
modify this system so the childs symptoms will no longer be needed to preserve the integrity
of the system [24]. Family therapy is particularly useful when family conflict characterizes
the family. Family conflict plays a detrimental role in exacerbating psychotic symptomatology. Family conflict results in significant distress within a vulnerable child, which in turn
results in disorganization of thought and bizarre behaviour. In effect, family therapy attempts
to modify the family system, so that it does not make things worse for the psychotic child. Of
course, family therapy cannot be used in isolation for the treatment of the psychotic child,
since it can address the family processes that are implicated in exacerbation of the symptoms
of the psychotic child, but, it cannot treat the symptomatology of psychosis. It can
nonetheless be utilized for addressing environmental factors that reduce the ability of the
family to implement interventions such as medication compliance and behavioural therapy.
Apart from the behavioural and family interventions a much less common but yet
sometimes used intervention for psychotic children is the play therapy. In the course of play
therapy the therapists facilitates the psychotic child to play in unstructured, accepting therapy
situation [63, 64]. This accepting therapy situation is considered to facilitate the childs
growth and a self acceptance. Play therapy is based on the rationale that the psychotic
children do not accept their selves as worthwhile, valuable persons. Play therapy is intended
to allow psychotic children play in a nondirective, accepting atmosphere, is considered to
provide the chance to them to explore themselves and to have their sense of self validated by
the therapist. Play therapy is considered beneficial for psychotic children who have been
neglected, rejected, or traumatized. However, the efficacy of play therapy for addressing the
chore symptomatology of psychosis has not established.
Not rarely, none of the above treatment approaches works, either when used in isolation,
or in when used in combination with others, especially for psychotic children with serious
psychotic symptoms. In such cases, the level of adaptive functioning of the psychotic child is
evaluated, and if their symptomatology has renter the non-manageable or dangerous,
40
impatient hospitalization is considered. In the course of Inpatient treatment, most often a

combination of medication intense behaviour therapy and family therapy (described above)
are integrated in an intense therapeutic plan that aims to prevent the worsening of the
displayed symptomatology, to stabilize the patients condition and eventually result into
producing lasting change in the childs behavior once s/he returns home. The effectiveness of
the impatient treatment has provided promising results with respect to the stabilization of the
childs condition, but evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of this integrative impatient
intervention is yet to be determined.
Overall, despite the treatment approaches that are typically generated to address
psychotic symptoms (either directly or indirectly by encouraging behaviour that is
inconsistent with psychotic symptomatology) in children to date there is a crucial need for
individualised treatment approaches that will be adjusted to each childs difficulties while
developmental considerations will not be ignored. Further, methodologically rigorous
controlled treatment studies that will evaluate the efficacy of each component of a treatment
program, as well as, the long-term outcome of the treatment approaches are necessary.
Finally, of further potential concern is our lack of knowledge on treatment outcome
among ethnic minorities. Several studies reported a less favourable attitude toward treatment
for mental health problems in ethnic minorities [65, 66]. For instance, ethnic minority parents
have been documented to be less favourable towards pharmacological intervention relative to
Caucasian parents [67]. Ethnic differences in the perception and utilization of mental health
treatments seems to be the outcome of several factors, such as the possible stigma attached to
mental health treatment among ethnic minorities [68], the fear of possible institutionalization
[69], and the lack of culturally sensitive treatment approaches [70]. Given that ethnic
minorities are typically underrepresented in clinical trials future investigations need to
evaluate the degree to which the factors involved in treatment outcome differentially affect
ethnic minorities as well as other diverse populations.
CONCLUSION
Although once a neglected disorder, Paediatric Psychosis has in the past two and a half
decades received increased attention by empirical investigations. Nonetheless, despite the
increase in the empirical investigations, still little is known about the interplay of the factors
implicated in the aetiology, developmental course of the disorder, as well as, on empirically
validated methods of treatment. Further, most studies report data on Caucasian and African
American children, with very few studies reporting data from diverse cultures, as well as,
addressing whether Psychosis is differentially presented across cultures, and determine
whether cultural factors are implicated in the aetiology, developmental course, prognosis and
treatment outcome of the disorder.
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 3
EARLY NEURODEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOSIS RISK:

ROLE OF NEUROHORMONES AND BIOLOGICAL
SEX IN MODULATING GENETIC, PRENATAL
AND SENSORY PROCESSING FACTORS
IN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Deborah J. Walder,1,2, 3,* Luz Ospina,1,3 Maureen Daly,2,3
Marta Statucka2,3 and Eva Raparia1
1
Brooklyn College of The City University of New York, US

2
Queens College of The City University of New York, US
3
The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, US
ABSTRACT
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder largely believed to have neurodevelopmental
origins with complex polygenic influences (including gene-environment interactions) that
modify illness expression, as captured by the diathesis-stress model. It is now well known
that the scope of these influences that render individuals vulnerable is broad and not
necessarily illness specific, though many are believed to play a role in psychosis risk.
Adverse pre-/peri-/postnatal events (e.g., prenatal maternal stress, teratogen exposure,
obstetric complications) and genetic factors (e.g., candidate/susceptibility and modifier
genes; epigenetics) represent two exemplary risk domains given they exert effects
(though not exclusively) during early development (including impacting brain
development). Relatively new to this field of study is consideration of sexual
dimorphisms and the modulating role of ones biological sex and neurohormones (e.g.,
byproducts of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitarygonadal (HPG) axes; namely, cortisol and gonadal hormones) across the developmental
trajectory in setting the stage for and later potentiating (or buffering) - underlying
vulnerability towards illness manifestation. This holds potential for better understanding
etiology of, and risk for, psychosis from a diathesis-stress perspective. This chapter
*
E-mail: [email protected]
46
Deborah J. Walder, Luz Ospina, Maureen Daly et al.

focuses on select early neurodevelopmental risk factors for psychosis, particularly 1)
evidence of genetic influences (from linkage to association studies, candidate
susceptibility and modifier genes, and epigenetics), 2) pre-/perinatal risk factors
presumed to impact brain development and evidenced to occur in higher rates than
normal in psychosis risk (with consideration of gene by environment interactions), and 3)
sensory processing/early information-processing deficits (including sensorimotor gating)
as an example of a vulnerability indicator; all of which are discussed with respect to
hormonal influences and sexual differentiation. While an in-depth discussion of later
developmental maturational processes (e.g., during adolescence) is beyond the scope of
this paper, we briefly discuss this important developmental period in understanding
psychosis risk and respective clinical implications. Throughout the paper, findings (and
putative risk factors) are contextualized (and discussed) with respect to sex differences,
the potential modulating role of neurohormones, and synergistic effects towards
bolstering current theoretical models of psychosis proneness.
I. INTRODUCTION
Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder largely believed to have
neurodevelopmental origins [1], [2], with manifestation of prominent clinical features (e.g.,
hallucinations, delusions, behavioral deficits, bizarre/disorganized behavior) typically during
late adolescence and early adulthood. With the implementation of contemporary study
designs (e.g., genetic/family high-risk paradigms; prospective, longitudinal tracking of
prodromal youth) and the advent of modern technological advances (e.g., neuroimaging,
molecular genetics), the field has gained an increased appreciation of the role of early neurodevelopmental susceptibility (or precursor) factors and how they interact with the
environment towards yielding emergent cognitive, behavioral and clinical signs (and
neurobiological correlates of) psychosis. These efforts reflect contemporary etiological
models of psychotic disorders that emphasize complex polygenic influences (including geneenvironment interactions) that modify illness expression, as captured by the diathesis-stress
model. One iteration of this model, Walker and Diforios [3] neural diathesis-stress model,
highlights the import of the potentiating effects of neurohormonal mechanisms (e.g.,
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis) on neurotransmitter systems (e.g., dopaminergic
functioning) in the precipitation of psychosis.
Recent decades have yielded an increase in research elucidating early neuro-developmental mechanisms and their phenotypic expressions in psychotic spectrum disorders, which
shed light on etiology and serve as bio-indicators of illness risk. In the context of stressdiathesis models and well-established sex differences (in prevalence, premorbid functioning,
age at onset and course of illness) in psychotic disorders (for review see [4], [5]), newly
emergent research has focused on the role of biological sex and neurohormones (e.g.,
byproducts of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and HPA axes) as potential
modulators of illness manifestation. These influences on latent vulnerability may exert their
impact at various points through development and illness trajectory, with critical (or at least
more sensitive) windows noted prenatally and during adolescence, both periods marked by
neuromaturation.
It is now well known that the scope of genetic and other early neurodevelopmental and
environmental factors that render individuals vulnerable to illness is broad. Moreover, these
Early Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Risk
47
vulnerability factors are not necessarily illness specific, though many are believed to play a
role in psychosis risk. Various susceptibility and modifier genes, for example, have been
implicated in a range of psychiatric disorders including psychosis (see [6]). Likewise, prenatal
(during pregnancy), perinatal (around delivery) and early postnatal factors such as fetal
malnutrition, teratogen exposure, obstetric complications and maternal stress, and later
environmental influences such as adverse stressful life events have been demonstrated to
occur more frequently in psychosis [7], depression [8] and autism [9].
Adverse prenatal events and genetic factors represent two exemplary risk domains given
they exert effects (though not exclusively) during early development and interact with other
influences such as neurohormonal milieus. Until recently, the organizational effects of
gonadal hormones such as sexual differentiation of brain structure were of primary
interest. More recent discoveries, however, point to the role of prenatal stress (and associated
adrenal hormone exposure) in brain development and long-term behavioral outcome [10],
[11]. This is predominantly evidenced by experimental findings in the animal literature (e.g.,
[12]), though there is some recent corroborative evidence in the human literature; notably, an
association of prenatal maternal stress exposure with dermatoglyphic abnormalities in
offspring (e.g., [13]; see [14]). The epigenome is sensitive to environmental influences not
only prenatally, but also during neonatal development, puberty and old age (see [15]). This is
a reminder that while early neurodevelopment warrants heed in consideration of causal
factors in mental (and physical/neurological) health, a lifespan perspective need also be
considered.
An interest in gonadal hormones in psychosis risk arose initially from evidence of sex
differences in psychosis (e.g., age at onset; see [16]). The notion that prenatal gonadal
hormones influence sexually differentiated clinical, cognitive, behavioral and morpholologic
traits (and general CNS organization) associated with psychosis vulnerability have arisen
from several converging lines of investigation. Recent examples in our work include evidence
of sex differences in aspects of neurocognition (e.g., [17]) and neuroanatomic substrates of
these sex differences (e.g., [18]) in schizophrenia, sex differences in neurocognition as an
indicator of risk for conversion to psychosis [19], and indirect evidence of disruptions in the
prenatal gonadal hormone milieu in risk for psychosis [20]. With consideration of Meehls
[21] notion that psychopathology falls along a continuum, we recently investigated the
modulating role of menstrual cycle status (an indirect index of the natural gonadal hormone
milieu) and ones biological sex on cortisol secretion and psychiatric symptoms in a nonclinical sample of young adults [22]. Findings were interpreted with respect to the complex
(proposed dose response) interplay of gonadal and adrenal hormone systems and ones
biological sex in modulating non-clinical psychiatric symptoms. Newer on scene is evidence
that glucocorticoids can alter brain development, with some sex-specific effects and
implications for psychosis risk. To date, several morphologic (e.g., dermatoglyphics),
cognitive (e.g., neuropsychological), behavioral (e.g., neuromotor) and neurohormonal (e.g.,
cortisol) abnormalities marked by sexual differentiation have been identified in psychosis
risk, many of which are believed to reflect disruptions in prenatal development. There remain,
however, several cognitive and behavioral deficits that may represent putative indicators of
psychosis risk that are not as clearly linked with prenatal influences. One example is sensory
processing deficits, particularly in auditory, visual and (more recently) olfactory domains.
These deficits, evidenced in both patients and high-risk populations, have been largely
understood in terms of dysfunctional transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type
48
glutamate receptors [23]. Another emerging area of interest is that of sensorimotor gating
deficits in schizophrenia. Less well understood, however, are somatosensory and gustatory
processing deficits. Given the relative dearth of research examining these factors in psychosis
risk, it is not surprising that consideration of the role of genetics and prenatal events (as well
as neurohormones and sex effects) on the integrity of these systems is not well understood.
We begin this chapter with a review of genetic influences on psychosis risk, including
evolving methodological approaches (from linkage to association studies), candidate
susceptibility and modifier genes, and epigenetics (which may lead to alterations in
phenotypic expression without altering DNA sequence, and may be heritable). We then turn
to a review of pre- and perinatal factors presumed to impact brain development and
evidenced to occur in higher rates than normal in psychosis risk, with consideration of gene
by environment interactions. We then briefly review the domain of sensory processing
deficits in psychosis, as an example of an indicator of vulnerability. Integrity of some
domains of sensory processing have been linked to the prenatal environment [24], [25], and
well documented as sexually differentiated in the general population (see [26] for review).
Deficits in sensory processing and sensorimotor gating/early information-processing in
psychosis, however, have only limitedly been discussed with respect to hormonal influences
and sexual differentiation (for meta-analysis, see [27]), and genetic factors (e.g., [28], [29]).
While an in-depth discussion of later maturational processes (e.g., during adolescence) is
beyond the scope of this paper, we briefly discuss this important developmental period in
understanding psychosis risk and respective clinical implications. Importantly, throughout
each section we contextualize findings (and discuss putative risk factors) with respect to sex
differences, the potential modulating role of neurohormones, and synergistic effects towards
bolstering current theoretical models of psychosis proneness.
II. GENETIC FACTORS: CANDIDATE/SUSCEPTIBILITY

GENES AND MODIFIER GENES/EPIGENETICS
Primary Genetic Risk Factors/Candidate Genes. It is widely believed that schizophrenia
(as with many disorders of mental health) involves a substantial genetic component, though
identifying the specific role of genes has proven difficult. From a behavioral genetics
perspective, family and twin studies have revealed that risk to siblings of an affected
individual is approximately 10 times greater than in the general population, and heritability is
80% or more [30], [31]. Even though heritability is high, concordance in monozygotic (MZ)
twins is 41-65% [30]. This phenotypic discordance implicates a role of environmental factors,
including suboptimal to severely adverse events occurring as early as prenatal and early
postnatal development. Moreover, family studies suggest that simple major gene effects are
unlikely. Predominant contemporary genetic hypotheses ascribe to a polygenic model,
whereby several common alleles of small to moderate effects and possibly a few rare alleles
with larger effects [32], [33] are believed to serve as susceptibility markers. In addition to
susceptibility/candidate genes, modifer genes have more recently been suggested to influence
clinical/phenotypic expression of illness independent of liability. Together, these findings
collectively support the widely accepted notion that multiple genetic factors (whether
candidate or modifer genes) act in concert (bidirectionally) with the environment, through
49
development, towards manifestation of psychiatric illness, including psychosis. There remains

debate as to the complex nature and direction of these relationships. Discussion of the
multifaceted, interactive gene-environment processes that underlie risk for psychosis remains
beyond the scope of this chapter, though a comprehensive overview of this literature can be
found elsewhere (see [34]). Here we review some of the more prominent candidate and
modifier genes linked with psychosis risk and the role of epigenetics.
Linkage studies. A number of approaches have been utilized to seek genes for
schizophrenia. Work in psychiatric genetics began with linkage studies, which assessed the
tendency of certain loci to be inherited together. Early linkage studies were based upon a
small number of families with a high number of affected individuals and have progressively
used larger numbers of individuals [35], [36]; although many candidate genes have been
reported, findings have not been consistently replicated [37]. However, a recent meta-analysis
of 32 linkage studies reported a number of significant linkages than would be expected by
chance, particularly on chromosomes 2q and 5q [38]. These and similar regions may be
involved in conferring weak or moderate effects for the disorder; advanced DNA sequencing
methods are required to confirm and define their role in the etiology of schizophrenia.
Positional candidate gene studies, which prioritize genes in putative linkage regions, have
been more successful in discovering promising susceptibility genes in multiple genetic studies
[39]. The most highly implicated genes in positional candidate studies are: Neuroligin 1
(NRG1), Dysbindin (DTNBP1), D Amino Acid Oxidase Activator (DAOA), and DISC1. NRG1
was identified as a candidate gene via fine-mapping of a locus on chromosome 8 [40] and has
been subsequently linked with schizophrenia. NRG1 encodes many mRNA species and
proteins which influence cell-cell signaling, axon guidance, synaptogenesis, glial
differentiation, myelination and neurotransmission [41]; however, the mechanisms by which
altered NRG1 function might lead to schizophrenia are unclear. DTNBP1 was first identified
as a gene associated with schizophrenia through linkage on the chromosome 6p [42], and has
been replicated in subsequent studies. The function of DTNBP1 is not well understood,
although findings report that DTNBP1 influences glutamate neurotransmission [43] and
reduced levels of DTNBP1 expression have been found in schizophrenic brains [44].
Chromosome 13, which includes the DAOA gene, has strong linkage regions to
schizophrenia; replication and a meta-analysis study have supported this finding [45]. DAOA
activates D amino acid oxidase, which is a coagonist at NMDA glutamate receptors.
Therefore, there is plausibility for both DTNBP1and DAOA to be candidate genes based on
the glutamate hypothesis for schizophrenia. Finally, DISC1 on chromosome 1 has been
implicated in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other major mental illnesses [46]. Although
its molecular mechanism is unknown, DISC1 is thought to be involved in brain development
and adult neuronal functioning such as neuronal migration and maturation, synaptic
transmission and plasticity.
Association studies. The limited power of linkage studies to identify genes of modest
effect led to the recent development of association studies. Genetic association studies are
based on the assumption that common diseases are a result of the contribution of many, smalleffect genes and that susceptibility alleles will be shared by a significant proportion of
common variants with small effect sizes. The recent creation of a genome-wide map of 3.1
million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the entire genome has allowed
researchers to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of large clinical and nonclinical samples [47]. GWAS combines the qualities of association (power to detect small
50
effects) with that of linkage studies (no requirement for specific knowledge of pathogenesis).
One GWAS study based on pooled DNA sampling, where DNA from multiple cases is mixed
together, has reported a significant association to the REELIN gene which is believed to
encode a protein involved in neuronal positioning and neuronal development [48]; further
replication is needed to confirm this particular finding. GWAS based on individual
genotyping have implicated genes such as colony stimulating factor 2 receptor alpha
(CSF2RA) which is thought to regulate granulocytes and macrophages, and short stature
homeobox isoform b (SHOX) which is a transcription factor whose involvement is still
unknown [49]. Interestingly, another GWAS based on individual genotyping for
schizophrenia revealed a significant result for the zinc finger protein 804A gene (ZNF804A)
only when the phenotype was expanded to include bipolar disorder [50]. Therefore, ZNF804A
is very likely a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, two disorders that
share similar clinical symptomatology.
Copy number variants (CNVs). The same technology that allows for GWAS also permits
the detection of CNVs. CNVs are stretches of genomic deletions and duplications ranging
from 1 kb to several Mb that can vary between individuals; thus, they are likely to have larger
phenotypic effects than SNPs. One of the most consistent findings is the role of chromosome
22q11; a deletion of chromosome 22q11 increases the risk for schizophrenia approximately
25-fold [51]. Recently, there has been compelling evidence that additional CNVs contribute
to the etiology of schizophrenia. For example, major recurrent CNVs associated with
schizophrenia are 1q21 deletions [52], and 15q13 deletions [53]. With regards to individual
CNVs implicating specific genes, [54] identified a rare deletion affecting part of gene
NRXN1, which has been previously implicated in autism and mental retardation [55]. They
also observed a de novo duplication of amyloid beta A4 precursor protein-binding (APBA2),
a protein which interacts with NRXN1. Together, NRXN1and APBA2 is believed to play a
role in synaptic development and function. Also, preliminary results appear to implicate the
CNTNAP2 gene, which codes for the contactin-associated protein-like 2, a cell adhesion
protein. Although researchers are still uncertain to what extent CNVs contribute to the
disorder, CNV analysis has the potential to identify novel pathogenic mechanisms and
provide insight into a broader neuropsychiatric spectrum for schizophrenia.
Epigenetics. As discussed above, twin studies do not reveal a 100% concordance rate for
schizophrenia; rather, if one twin has schizophrenia, the other has approximately a 50% risk
for developing the disorder [56]. This suggests environmental effects also likely contribute to
the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. One method in which the environment may render an
individual susceptible to developing the disorder is through environmental influence on
epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetics is the study of heritable, but reversible changes in gene
expression that occurs without any changes in the genomic DNA sequence [57]. These
changes arise primarily through alterations in DNA methylation and chromatin structure,
which contribute to the regulation of gene activity in the central nervous system. DNA
methylation is characterized by the direct, covalent modification of DNA, where at least three
encoded enzymes known as DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) catalyze the addition of a CH3 group to cytosine residues at the 5-position of the pyrimidine ring [58]. DNA
methylation has been implicated in a number of developmental processes such as genomic
imprinting and cellular differentiation [59] as well as neurodevelopmental disorders such as
Fragile X mental retardation [60]. Although epigenetic processes play a crucial role in normal
cellular differentiation during embryogenesis, recent studies reveal that epigenetic alternation
51
of DNA can also occur during the life span due to environmental influences or stochastic
changes [57], and even hormonal stimulation [61]. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize
that epigenetic effects can contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia.
Growing evidence for DNA methylation in schizophrenia mainly involves candidate
genes associated with neurotransmitter function. For example, REELIN, which is expressed
primarily by GABAergic interneurons that regulate neighboring glutamatergic neurons, and
GAD1, which aids in the synthesis of GABA from glutamate, are down-regulated in
individuals with schizophrenia [61]. Down-regulation of either of these genes through
epigenetic mechanisms can certainly disrupt GABAergic neurotransmission, and altered
GABA activity appears responsible for at least some of the clinical features of schizophrenia
[62]. Indeed, research has shown that both DNMT1 mRNA and protein levels are significantly
increased in the cortex of individuals with schizophrenia, and these increases parallel deficits
in both REELIN and GAD1 [63]. Altered function of serotonin has also been implicated in the
increased susceptibility of a number of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia [64].
Variation of the gene encoding the 5-HT2A receptor (HTR2A) has been associated with
schizophrenia in a number of studies. In one study, the methylation of the HTR2A C102 allele
was found to correlate with DNMT1 expression levels; furthermore, methylation of the
promoter correlated with HTR2A expression levels [65]. However, this result has not been
consistently replicated; further testing is necessary to elucidate the effects of epigenetic
variation and imprinting of HTR2A in schizophrenia.
Dysfunction of the limbic pathway and associated dopamine release is thought to heavily
influence the pathophysiology of schizophrenia; therefore, understanding the regulation of
dopamine levels by focusing on Catecholamine-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) is one
approach for understanding the etiology of schizophrenia. COMT is located on chromosome
22q11, an area previously implicated with schizophrenia [51] and is responsible for the
metabolism of dopamine in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. DNA methylation analyses of
COMT have been conducted in postmortem brains, and have revealed that methylation of the
membrane-bound COMT gene promoter was reduced approximately 50% in patients with
schizophrenia [66].
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is another gene known to play a role in
aberrant cognition and mental disorders [67]. Postmortem reports have demonstrated
decreased levels of BDNF protein and mRNA levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus
of schizophrenia patients [68]. Furthermore, one study revealed modest evidence for a
correlation between DNA methylation in the BDNF gene and a neighboring SNP that has
been previously associated with psychosis [69].
Psychosis and other positive symptoms of schizophrenia have also been associated with
low activity of dopamine beta hydroxylase (DH) [70], though not consistently [71]. Located
in human serum, DH is a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of dopamine to
norepinephrine. One early study suggested that individuals with schizophrenia (particularly
paranoid subtype) appear to have lower serum DH concentration than controls [70]. Early
linkage studies discovered that the major gene controlling serum DH activity is linked to
ABO on human chromosome 9q34 [72]. Cubells and colleagues [73] demonstrated that the
DH genotype is a major quantitative trait locus for plasma DH activity, and that it also
influences DH levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In turn, low plasma or CSF levels of
DH protein have been shown to be associated with greater vulnerability to positive
52
psychotic symptoms in a range of psychiatric disorders [70], [74]. They [74] subsequently
demonstrated that genetic variant at DH associated with low DH activity (Del-a
haplotype) is also associated with cocaine-induced paranoia. Similarly, [75] provided
evidence suggesting the Del-a haplotype is associated with greater psychiatric symptoms
among schizophrenia patients suggesting that, although not causal, the DH gene may modify
psychotic symptoms and illness severity. Cubells and colleagues [76] investigated this
possibility through linkage analysis of schizophrenia patients and their relatives; results
yielded the first direct evidence for linkage between DH and plasma DH activity. This line
of research opens the door to novel avenues of investigation exploring modifier genes of
psychosis.
Overall, data suggest that DNA methylation may be a viable epigenetic mechanism that
contributes to the development of schizophrenia. In particular, some of the genes currently
hypothesized to play a role in psychosis via DNA methylation include REELIN, HTR2A,
COMT, and BDNF. Exciting newly emergent research also suggests a role of DH in
modulating psychotic symptoms. Further research in this area of epigenetics hold promise for
elucidating etiological pathways to schizophrenia.
Sex differences and hormone regulation of genetic risk. To date, the genetic basis
of observed sex differences in schizophrenia in areas such as premorbid functioning,
phenotypic characteristics and course of illness is not well understood. Sex-specific effects of
particular genes in psychosis are one possible contender. Neurohormonal influences on early
central nervous system development constitute a second viable prospect under increasing
investigation.
Sex differences in genetic risk for psychosis. Some sex-specific associations in
schizophrenia have been reported for a number of genes such as COMT [77] whereby one
SNP distributed in the COMT gene, rs165599, demonstrated a highly significant effect in
affected women compared to men. More evidence for female-specific findings includes
polymorphisms of the nogo gene, which is a myelin-associated protein associated with neurite
growth and regeneration in schizophrenia [78], as well as the SPEC2, PDZ-GEF2 and ACSL6
genes, which are purported to be involved in signal transduction and enzymatic processes
[79].
However, the results of these studies have not been corroborated or replicated in
subsequent analyses. More recently, [48] conducted a GWAS for schizophrenia in an
Ashkanazi Jewish population using DNA pooling and discovered a female-specific SNP,
rs7341475, which is part of the REELIN gene; therefore, this common variant of REELIN
may confer a sex-specific risk for schizophrenia in women.
A recent meta-analysis confirms [48] results implicating REELIN as the strongest
evidence for genetically-linked sex differences in schizophrenia [80]. Other evidence of
sexually differentiated genetic risk for schizophrenia is limited, warranting further
investigation. For example, a couple of studies detail a trend towards sex differences.
Specifically, greater levels of serotonin mRNA were expressed in peripheral leukocyte among
(primarily male) schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls; within-sex comparisons
yielded elevations in mRNA expression in male patients versus decreases in mRNA
expression among female patients compared to their healthy counterparts [81].
Moreover, a polymorphism of the DRD3 gene was linked with worse premorbid social
functioning and earlier age of onset among women (but not men) with schizophrenia [82].
53
The modulating role of genetic factors and neurohormones. Interestingly, new lines of
investigation are pointing to a role of genes (e.g., COMT) in modulating neurohormone
activity (e.g., HPA byproduct) believed to play a role in potentiating psychosis [83] and, in
turn, a role of neurohormones (e.g., cortisol, estrogen) yielded by the HPA and hypothalamicpituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes in modulating neurotransmitter (e.g., dopamine) activity [84]
and vulnerability for psychosis [85], [86].
Interest in the HPA axis arises from neurodevelopmental models of schizophrenia
positing a potentiating role of cortisol (a byproduct of the HPA axis, which is known to play a
key role in the mammalian biological stress response) on the dopaminergic system towards
triggering and exacerbating psychotic symptom expression (see [3]). There is relatively recent
evidence of longitudinal, developmental increases in cortisol over time among psychiatric atrisk youth [83] and adolescents with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD; [85]) and an
association of cortisol with psychotic-like symptoms among SPD adolescents [85], suggesting
postpubertal HPA maturation that moderates psychiatric symptom expression [85].
Moreover, youth at-risk who subsequently developed psychosis showed significantly
higher cortisol over time compared to youth who did not convert [86]. Given genetic factors
account for approximately 50% of cortisol secretion variability [87], it is reasonable to deduce
that genes converge with other genetic and environmental factors [88] towards yielding
individual differences in HPA activity and risk for psychiatric illness. In support of this
possibility, Walder and colleagues [83] demonstrated differential cortisol levels for COMT
Met homozygotes (compared with Val carriers) suggesting that COMT modulates longitudinal
changes in cortisol during adolescence. Genes appear to be implicated in modulating
neurohormone secretion, particularly during developmentally sensitive periods (e.g.,
adolescence) associated with neuromaturation and increased risk for psychosis.
A comprehensive review of the wide range of possible environmental contributors is
beyond the scope of this chapter. The next section therefore focuses on the earliest
environments encountered in the developmental process; namely, the pre-/peri natal
environments, and how influences during this developmental window interface with genetic
factors towards psychosis risk.
III. PRE-/PERI- NATAL FACTORS:

GENE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
Numerous pre- and perinatal events are believed to alter neurodevelopment, increasing
risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) during adolescence and young adulthood.
These disruptions range from adverse events experienced by the mother during pregnancy
(e.g., prenatal maternal stress) that negatively impact the health and psychological well-being
of the mother, to obstetric complications (OCs) during pregnancy and around birth (e.g.,
preeclampsia, viral exposure, malnutrition). In line with the diathesis-stress model, such preand perinatal disruptions have not only been linked with schizophrenia [89], [90]; (see [91]
for review) and in a sex-dependent manner [92], [93]; (see [5] for review), but also may serve
as one type of stressor interacting with genes towards precipitation of psychosis. One example
of this is a study demonstrating genes involved in neurovascular function (e.g., AKT1,
54
BDNF, DTNBP1, GRM3) may interact with obstetric complications in psychosis risk [94]; a
more extensive discussion of this follows below.
Seasonality of birth and prenatal viral exposure. One of the first environmental
etiological risk factors for schizophrenia reported in the literature is the so-called seasonality
of birth effect [95]. Most studies have consistently observed an excess of winter-spring births
in individuals with schizophrenia (see [96] for review). Although a number of factors have
been proposed to account for this seasonality effect including meteorological variables,
maternal hormones, sperm quality, nutrition and external toxins, one of the most extensively
studied factors is prenatal exposure to viral infection [97]. Seminal work by Mednick and
colleagues [98] first examined a Finnish birth cohort and showed that individuals exposed to
the 1957 type A2 influenza epidemic in Helsinki during their second trimester of fetal
development were at elevated risk for being diagnosed with schizophrenia in adulthood.
Subsequent research examining different cohorts narrowed the critical risk period further.
Machon et al. [99] found that individuals who were exposed to the 1969 Hong Kong
influenza epidemic during week 23 of the 6th month of gestation had elevated scores on an
index of schizotypal personality characteristics a proposed indicator of genetic vulnerability
for developing SSD. Exposure to other infections including a wide variety of respiratory
infection [100], rubella [101], and poliovirus infection [102] during the first and second
trimesters have been associated with significantly increased risk of SSD. More recently,
Mortensen et al. [103] showed that elevated levels of maternal herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2) antibodies were associated with increased risk in the Danish National Birth Cohort.
Several researchers are currently using animal models in an attempt to better understand
the brain pathology that results from prenatal viral exposure, which might increase
vulnerability for SSD. In a mouse model, maternal exposure to influenza (H1N1) virus
resulted in upregulation of serotonin (5HT2A) receptors and downregulation of glutamate
(mGlu2) receptors in the frontal cortex of the offspring [104]. In a monkey model, one year
old offspring of mothers who had been infected with influenza (H3N2) virus in the early third
trimester showed reduced cortical gray matter especially in the cingulate and parietal areas
and a reduction in parietal white matter [105]. These neurochemical and neuroanatomical
changes are similar to pathology observed in patients with schizophrenia.
Though extensively studied, the association between viral exposure and schizophrenia
risk remains controversial for a number of reasons. First, not all research has found evidence
of elevated risk in exposed individuals [106]. Secondly, most viruses do not cross the
placental barrier and therefore direct viral exposure of the fetus is not a viable explanation for
the elevated risk observed. Thus, researchers have suggested that the deleterious effects of
prenatal viral exposure may be due to maternal antiviral responses such as the release of proinflammatory cytokines. From assays in archived prenatal sera, Ellman et al. [107]
determined that exposure to cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) was associated with increases in
ventricular cerebrospinal fluid and decreases in left entorhinal cortex volume and right
posterior cingulate volume, all areas consistently implicated in schizophrenia research. Boksa
[108] provides a review of behavioral, structural, and functional changes in rodent models
exposed to prenatal immune activation including the potential role of immunogens, cytokines,
prostaglandins, and oxidative stress on neurodevelopment.
Prenatal maternal malnutrition. Another extensively studied prenatal risk factor for SSD
is maternal malnutrition. This body of research was sparked by another cohort study led by
Susser and colleagues [90], [109]. These studies showed that both men and women conceived
55
during the 1944-1945 Dutch Hunger Winter and born to severely malnourished mothers were
at a twofold increased risk for later developing schizophrenia. Similar results have been
reported in cohorts of individuals exposed to the 1959-1961 famine in China [110], [111].
Nutritional deficiencies implicated include folate, essential fatty acids, retinodis, vitamin D,
and iron (see [112] for review). In a Finnish birth cohort, failure to take vitamin D
supplements during the first year of life was associated with increased risk only in males
[113]. Vitamin D in rat models has been associated with structural and functional changes in
the brain including altered dopaminergic function (see [114] for review). As is the case with
prenatal viral exposure, the underlying mechanisms that may lead to these brain changes are
unclear. Some research, however, has shown that malnourished pregnant rats show increased
levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines similar to those seen during viral infection and this
might help explain the deleterious effects on offspring [115].
Prenatal maternal stress. In addition to viral exposure and maternal malnutrition which
can have obvious physiological implications for the developing fetal nervous system, prenatal
maternal stress has also been implicated as an important etiological factor that may alter fetal
brain development. Maternal stressors experienced during pregnancy that have been
examined include bereavement [116-118], military invasion/war [119], [120], and natural
disasters such as floods [121], earthquakes [122], and tornados [123]. Stress exposure results
in activation of the HPA axis and increased glucocorticoid release.
Some researchers have suggested that exposure to these environmental stressors during
prenatal development particularly affects regions of the brain responsible for negative
feedback of the HPA axis such as the hippocampus (see [124] for review), and thus may lead
to dysregulation of the system and hypersensitivity to stress [3]. In a mouse model, offspring
of mothers exposed to a stressor showed a transient period of abnormal growth of brain cells
during postweaning and in adolescence, followed by dramatic dendritic atrophy in the same
area during adulthood [125]. Notably, the affected region (cerebellar vermis) has considerable
connections with brain regions involved in HPA axis regulation. Interestingly, offspring of
rats exposed to the glucocorticoid receptor agonist dexamethasone during gestation
demonstrate behavioral deficits (e.g., decreased social play, blunted startle reflex, increased
prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle, reduced amphetamine-induced motor activity)
characteristic of SSD [126].
Obstetric complications (OCs). Beyond maternal environmental stressors, substantive
research has supported a link between complications during pregnancy and elevated risk for
SSD. These complications include preeclampsia [92], bleeding during pregnancy [92], [93],
[127], diabetes mellitus during pregnancy (see [128] for review), rhesus incompatibility [129]
and maternal-fetal genotype incompatibility [130], low birth weight [131-134], and
complications during delivery including asphyxia [135], uterine atony [93], and emergency
Cesarean section [136], [137] (see [91], [138] for review). Though these OCs are diverse,
some researchers have proposed that the underlying mechanism for all pre- and perinatal
complications associated with later SSD is fetal hypoxia [139]. Using individuals from the
National Collaborative Perinatal Project, Cannon and colleagues [140] reported that
individuals that experience three or more hypoxia-related OCs were five times more likely to
develop schizophrenia than individuals with no history of hypoxia-related OCs.
Gene-environment interactions. Although the association between SSD and OCs appears
strong, a history of OCs is associated with increased risk for a number of psychiatric disorders
including autism [141-143], attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [144-146],
56
anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa [147], [148], and mood disorders [127], [149]. This
lack of diagnostic specificity seems to suggest that complications during prenatal
development and birth may increase ones vulnerability to psychopathology in general, and
the clinical expression of this vulnerability will depend on later gene-environment
interactions [150], [151]. For instance, Jablensky and colleagues [152] reported that women
with schizophrenia were more likely to experience placental abruption, to give birth to low
birth-weight babies, and to have babies with cardiovascular congenital anomalies and that
these complications were more likely to occur after psychiatric diagnosis had been made. It
therefore appears that risk of OCs is significantly higher in babies that already carry genetic
vulnerability for SSD and that an interaction between these two factors may determine the
clinical expression of this vulnerability.
Studies investigating the interaction between putative schizophrenia vulnerability genes
and winter birth have yielded mixed results. Narita et al. [153] found an excess of winter
births in patients with schizophrenia with HLA-DR1 genotype, though Tochigi et al. [154]
failed to replicate these findings. Chotai et al. [155] found polymorphisms of 5-HTTLPR and
DRD4 to be associated with season of birth in female schizophrenia patients only, whereas
Muntjewerff et al. [156] found neither winter birth, MTHFR 677TT genotype, nor their
interaction was associated with increased schizophrenia risk.
Given that hypoxia-related OCs have been linked with schizophrenia risk, one study
examined the rate at which several candidate genes for schizophrenia are also known to be
sensitive to hypoxia regulation and/or may be related to vascular expression [157]. Results
indicated that over 50% of the identified schizophrenia vulnerability genes (e.g., AKT1,
BDNF, COMT, NRG1, RELN, TNF among others) met these criteria, suggesting that genes
linked with schizophrenia susceptibility may (in part) exert their influence via regulating
hypoxia during development and modulating cerebrovascular function [157].
There is recent evidence that hypoxia-related OCs may interact with some schizophrenia
candidate genes. In the first study to empirically test for interaction between genetic risk
factors and OCs, Nicodemus et al. [94] reported that several genes involved in vascular
function in the brain or regulated by hypoxia specifically AKT1, BDNF, DTNBP1, and
GRM3 interacted with a history of serious OCs toward increased risk for schizophrenia.
Abazyan et al. [158] observed an interaction between mutant human disrupted-inschizophrenia 1 (mhDISC1) gene and exposure to an immunostimulant (polyinosinic:
polycytidylic acid) in a mouse model which produced behavioral abnormalities such as
elevated anxiety, depression-like responses, altered sociability, and attenuated reactivity to
stress. This interaction also yielded neurobiological abnormalities that resemble those seen in
mood disorders and SSD including decreased HPA reactivity, decreased serotonin
neurotransmission in the hippocampus, reduced enlargement of lateral ventricles, reduced
amygdala and periaqueductal gray matter volumes, and reduced density of hippocampus
dendritic spines.
The fields identification of schizophrenia vulnerability and modifier genes (and their
interactions) continues to expand. This, together with an evolving appreciation of diverse pre/perinatal factors and their complex interplay with polygenic factors brings us closer to
understanding their underlying mechanisms of action that contribute to psychosis risk. Future
investigations of both the independent effects of, and interactions among, these important
etiological factors is clearly warranted.
57
Sex differences, hormonal influences and prenatal insults affect early brain development.
In line with conceptualizations of schizophrenia as having neurodevelopmental origins, one
factor believed to influence fetal central nervous system development is gonadal hormones.
Disruptions in the prenatal gonadal hormone milieu have been implicated in a variety of
conditions such as immune dysfunction and autism [159], and more recently in risk for
psychosis, as evidenced by disrupted sex differences in a distal indicator of prenatal gonadal
hormone; namely digit ratio [20]. Complementary to this literature, there is substantive data
supporting a strong association of OCs with a range of neurobiological and behavioral deficits
in schizophrenia, more so among males than females; including neuropsychological
functioning [160], neurological soft signs [161], and behavior [162]. As outlined by Walder et
al. [20], findings of sexual dimorphisms in behavioral sequelae of prenatal insult are
consistent with research suggesting the male fetus (compared to the female fetus) may be
more susceptible to prenatal gonadal hormone disruptions, adverse pre- and perinatal events
[93] which in turn may contribute to schizophrenia [135], [163], [164] and be sexually
differentiated [5], neurodevelopomental abnormalities [165], and neonatal mortality [166].
Sex differences are noted in obstetric complication rates in schizophrenia (males>females)
[167], [168] though not uniformly (see [5] for review). Moreover, compared to girls, boys
born small for gestational age or exposed to pre-eclampsia or asphyxia at birth are also at
increased risk for schizophrenia [93].
Taken together, the aforementioned lines of investigation point to the potential role of
ones biological sex, prenatal gonadal hormones and other neurohormonal systems and their
byproducts in modulating effects of prenatal events/insults (such as obstetric complications)
on brain development and psychosis risk. More focused research on these possibilities,
together with consideration of genetic influences, lie imminently on the horizon within this
field of study with exciting potential for better understanding the neurobiological and
environmental basis (including underlying mechanisms) of psychosis risk.
IV. SENSORY PROCESSING (AND SENSORIMOTOR GATING)

DEFICITS AS PUTATIVE INDICATORS
OF RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS
Sensory processing deficits have been implicated in an etiological model of
schizophrenia involving dysfunctional transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type
glutamate receptors [23]. These deficits in schizophrenia patients and individuals at high-risk
have been well characterized in auditory, visual, and (increasingly) olfactory domains,
whereas somatosensory and gustatory processing deficits are less well understood.
Peripherally relevant to primary sensory processing deficits are impairments in sensory gating
in schizophrenia. This section outlines sensory processing and sensory gating functions - as
putative indicators of psychosis proneness - across the schizophrenia spectrum, with later
consideration of sex differences and the modulating role of gonadal hormones.
Auditory processing and psychosis risk. Sensory processing deficits in schizophrenia
have been most widely explored in the auditory domain, and are associated with poorer
functioning over the course of the illness [169]. For example, schizophrenia patients
demonstrate tone matching [170] and speech perception deficits [171] relative to controls.
58
Neurophysiological evidence using electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) corroborate behavioral findings in that schizophrenia patients exhibit auditory
processing abnormalities in initial sensory registration, prediction and temporal integration in
paired speech stimulus to noise paradigms, mismatch negativity (MMN) response component,
and early N1/P1 response components (for a review see [172]).
Two principal neurophysiological measures in understanding the pathophyisology of
auditory processing deficits in schizophrenia are P300 and MMN. The P300 component is
conceptualized as an index of context updating and/or stimulus categorization of higher
cognitive processing. Schizophrenia patients exhibit reduced P300 amplitude related to
reduced superior temoporal gyrus (STG) volume ([173]; for a review see [174]). Schizophrenia patients tend to exhibit prominent STG gray matter reductions [175], [176] and
decreased volumes of pyramidal neurons in layer 3 of primary and secondary auditory
cortices suggestive of feed-forward auditory processing deficits [177].
The MMN component can be elicited independent of attention with various stimuli (e.g.,
auditory, visual, somatosensory), and across developmental and clinical populations. The
MMN response component is dependent on NMDA-type glutamate receptor functioning
[178], and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia [170]. Schizophrenia
patients consistently exhibit attenuated auditory MMN (aMMN; [179]) responses, and the
neural generators of this component have been well-characterized, primarily localized to the
STG [180]. Diminished aMMN in schizophrenia patients is associated with greater illness
severity and cognitive deficits [181], and greater functional decline [169].
The electrophysiological auditory steady state response (ASSR) is a measure of the
integrity of synchronous oscillatory brain activity in response to temporally-linked stimuli,
and is modified by attention (see [182] for a review). Consistent with the aforementioned
neurophysiological findings with respect to P300 and MMN, ASSR deficits are associated
with decreased bilateral activity in the STG. Inhibitory GABAergic interneurons and
interactions with glutamatergic mechanisms (specifically via NMDA-type receptors) are
thought to modulate gamma oscillations and may underlie ASSR disruptions in schizophrenia
[182], though the neural mechanisms are still not fully understood.
Auditory processing and genetics in psychosis. Genetic findings in relation to
neurophysiological components (e.g., P300, MMN) assist in the identification of the
underlying pathophysiology of auditory processing deficits in schizophrenia [174]. For
example, reduced NoGo-P300 differences indicative of deficits in response inhibition and
monitoring associated with anterior cingulate functioning have been associated with
dysbindin gene polymorphisms that modulate the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system and
have been linked to schizophrenia [183].
Findings are mixed regarding associations between decreased MMN amplitude and
genetic risk for schizophrenia [184-186]. MMN has been linked with catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene variants, a key enzyme in dopamine degradation [187]. Increased
dopamine degradation in prefrontal regions reduces inhibitory GABAergic projections to
subcortical regions (e.g., basal ganglia), which in turn results in increases in tyrosinehydroxylase mRNA and unregulated increases in subcortical dopamine release. This cascade
is associated with poorer prefrontal executive functioning, loose associations and positive
symptoms of schizophrenia (see [174] for a review).
With regard to ASSR, it remains unclear whether gamma frequency range (30-50Hz)
deficits in this component represent a risk marker versus indicator of sensitivity to psychosis
59
expression [182]. There is some evidence of ASSR gamma frequency deficits in

schizophrenia patients [188] and first-degree relatives but not medicated schizophrenia
patients [189] or individuals with schizotypal personality disorder [182, 190]. This pattern of
findings is suggestive of ASSR as a genetic biomarker of risk for schizophrenia, though
perhaps not an indicator of clinical high risk [182]. More research examining the link between
steady state response and genetic risk is indicated.
Visual processing. Schizophrenia patients exhibit visual processing deficits in motion and
form perception, low spatial frequency and location discrimination, perceptual organization,
and backward masking performance that are modulated by distinguishable neural mechanisms
(see [23] for a review). The visual system is characterized by two pathways: magnocellular
(M) and parvocellular (P), which project to the dorsal (i.e., parieto-occipital) and ventral
streams (i.e., temporo-occipital), respectively. Neurons of the M pathway have large cell
bodies and rapidly respond to low-contrast, low spatial resolution stimuli, and motion, but not
color or fine-details. Conversely, neurons of the P pathway have smaller cell bodies and
respond relatively slowly to fine details, high-resolution stimuli, and color, but not low
contrast stimuli. Visual processing can be understood in terms of gain control (i.e., adaptation
and optimization of responses to visual stimuli) and integration (i.e., coordinated neural
responses via co-activation that subsequently guide behavior; [191]). Gain control is directly
influenced by NMDA-type glutamate receptor functioning as demonstrated by decreases in
stimulus response amplitude and lateral inhibition following administration of NMDA
antagonists, and may be more closely associated with the M than P pathway, yet both are
involved. The response of M neurons sharply increases with increases in luminance contrast,
but then plateau at approximately 16%, whereas P neurons begin to respond at a luminance
contrast of approximately 10%, and increase linearly. Schizophrenia patients exhibit
decreases in gain control as evidenced in motion perception, contrast sensitivity, and lateral
inhibition paradigms (see [191] for a review). Opposite to healthy controls, schizophrenia
patients demonstrate greater susceptibility to an illusion that is typically endorsed more
frequently with decreasing contrast, but demonstrated less susceptibility to visual illusions
that become more prominent with increasing contrast, indicating deficits in contrast
sensitivity [192]. Kantrowitz and colleagues [192] suggest the differential pattern of
susceptibility to visual illusions in schizophrenia patients relative to controls is mediated by
deficits in the M processing stream that may disrupt higher order cognitive-perceptual
processing.
Disruptions of early visual processing mediated by the M pathway are implicated in
facial emotion identification deficits commonly seen in schizophrenia patients [193].
Schizophrenia patients exhibit M-dependent contrast sensitivity deficits of emotional stimuli
relative to controls, and deficits are associated with facial emotion identification (i.e., fear,
anger, happiness, sadness, and neutral) and differentiation of facial emotion intensity [194].
Poorer emotion identification is associated with reduced steady state visual evoked potentials
(ssVEP) specific to M-based, but not P-based, neural responses [194]. Among schizophrenia
patients, poorer social cognition, as assessed via emotion perception, is a predictor of less
social support, deficits in social competence, and poorer global functional outcome [195].
Similarly, visual steady state response (VSSR) paradigms suggest that schizophrenia patients
exhibit decreased power in frontal and parietal regions in the alpha frequency range (9-12
Hz). Furthermore, the deficits tend to reflect disruptions in the M (e.g., luminance) pathway
rather than the P (e.g., chromatic) pathway, and are consistent with reductions in gray matter
60
thickness in the occipital cortex present at first-episode, as well as reduced white matter tract
integrity of the optic radiations (see [182] for a review).
Visual integration deficits in schizophrenia patients 1) have been demonstrated in
response to contrast, contour, form and motion stimulus paradigms; 2) are associated with
disorganized symptom presentation [196] and poorer premorbid social functioning [197]; and,
3) are also thought to be modulated by NMDA-type glutamatergic activity (i.e., decreased
lateral excitation signaling integration of relevant spatial features; [191], [198]). For example,
schizophrenia patients tend to perform better than controls on tasks of contrast discrimination,
indicating specific abnormalities of visual processing (i.e., deficits of orientation-specific
surround suppression) in the primary visual cortex functioning, which is inconsistent with a
generalized perceptual deficit hypothesis [199].
Early visual processing of the M pathway, integration, and selective visual attention may
be modulated by aberrant hemispheric asymmetries among schizophrenia patients relative to
controls [200]. Performance on a global-local task (i.e., a large letter made up of small letters,
respectively) can assess a predominately right hemisphere response to global stimuli and a
predominately left hemisphere response to local stimuli, as well as effects of shifting, priming
and interference on task performance. Schizophrenia patients exhibit impaired shifting from
global/low frequency to local/high frequency stimulus identification, but not vice versa,
suggestive of disruptions in the shift from right hemisphere to left hemisphere engagement
[200], possibly modulated by M system disruptions secondarily affecting P system
functioning [201] rather than generalized errors. Also, local interference in global processing
(i.e., longer reaction time) is consistent with global processing deficits implicating M pathway
dysfunction.
Olfaction. Olfactory processing is mediated by frontal and temporolimbic regions, and
deficits in identification, detection threshold sensitivity, and memory of odors have been
proposed as biomarkers of risk for schizophrenia (for review see [202]). Odor molecules
enervate receptors in the olfactory bulb and, via the lateral olfactory tract, enervate the
primary olfactory cortex, which makes this system one of the most direct pathways from the
external environment to the central nervous system. The primary olfactory cortex then sends
projections to various structures (i.e., anterior olfactory nucleus, olfactory tubercle, piriform
cortex, amygdala, entorhinal cortex) that project directly to the frontal cortex, and indirectly
to the orbitofrontal cortex via the thalamus, the hypothalamus via the amygdala, and the
hippocampus via entorhinal cortex [203].
Olfaction and prenatal disruptions. The olfactory system is thought to be functional late
in fetal development, is susceptible to environmental perturbations (e.g., exposure to toxins)
that disrupt typical development, and structures involved in olfaction have also been
implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (for review see [202]). Thus, some
suggest that insults that affect olfactory system development may also affect
neurodevelopment more broadly, perhaps increasing risk for psychopathology [204]. This is
the closest evidence (we are aware of to date) that links prenatal disruptions with olfactory
deficits.
While the olfactory system is less well studied in schizophrenia, it holds particular
promise given the unique feature that the olfactory epithelium cells regenerate approximately
every 2 to 3 months. This trait provides an opportunity for the examination of neurodevelopmental changes involved in basic sensory processing of odors in live individuals. In fact,
biopsies of olfactory epithelium cells of living schizophrenia patients are abnormal relative to
61
controls [205]. Smell identification deficits (SID) are relatively specific to schizophrenia and
the negative symptom dimension [206], and have been identified in young adults with
psychotic disorders [207] and first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients relative to
controls (see [204] for a review), suggestive of a link between olfactory deficits and genetic
risk for the illness. Moreover, behavioral findings have been corroborated by neuroanatomical
and neurophysiological findings. Schizophrenia patients exhibit regional amplitude reductions
of N1 (inferior frontotemporal) and P2 (medial parietal) olfactory event-related potentials
(OERPs) relative to healthy controls [204], indicative of central processing deficits.
Somatosensory processing. Behavioral somatosensory measures permit non-invasive
means to examine proprioception (e.g., weight discrimination), exteroceptive touch sensitivity
(e.g., two-point discrimination), tactile spatial resolution (e.g., grating orientation), and
complex cognitive somatosensory processing (e.g., graphesthesia). Basic elementary sensory
processing (e.g., proprioception, tactile stimulation) begins in cutaneous and subcutaneous
receptors, crosses the midline and ascends the medial lemniscal tract, enervating the
ventroposterolateral thalamic nuclei and projecting to primary somatosensory cortex (SI);
complex cognitive somatosensory processing (e.g., graphesthesia task) also occurs in the
secondary somatosensory association cortex (SII; [208]). Thalamic nuclei also send
projections to the supplementary motor area and superior parietal lobe.
Schizophrenia patients and first-degree relatives exhibit somatosensory deficits relative to
controls, whereas first-degree relatives of bipolar patients do not, suggesting specificity to
schizophrenia [209]. Among nonclinical undergraduate students, elevated two-point
discrimination thresholds are related to greater levels of schizotypy [210]. Elementary sensory
functions are disrupted in patients with SI lesions, but spared in patients with parietal lesions
sparing SI (see [211] for a review). Electrophysiological research indicates that schizophrenia
patients exhibit: 1) disruptions in sensorimotor and frontal-parietal-temporal networks in
response to somatosensory stimuli [212], 2) abnormal somatosensory evoked potentials [213],
and 3) reversed asymmetry and displaced somatosensory evoked field potentials [214]. The
neural circuitry associated with somatosensory duration-processing sensitivity in response to
vibrotactile stimuli can be assessed via the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of human
event-related potentials [180]. However, little is known regarding somatosensory MMN
(sMMN) among clinical populations. Two-point discrimination performance is associated
with the N20 component generated by SI (areas 3b and 1; [215]); moreover, schizophrenia
patients have exhibited high frequency oscillations with prolonged latency and higher
amplitude in the low frequency range of N20 relative to controls, which may be indicative of
decreased thalamic inhibition and related to positive symptoms [213].
While some suggest that somatosensory processing deficits (based on behavioral
measures) among nonclinical [210] and genetic high risk [209], [216], [217] are independent
of broad cognitive functioning, others propose panmodal processing imprecision as a
primary etiological factor in schizophrenia [218], [219].
Sex differences and neurohormonal effects in sensory processing and sensorimotor
gating. Overall, few studies of sensory processing deficits in schizophrenia examine sex
differences. In the realm of olfactory function, sex differences - notably a female advantage
(see [26] for review) - are well established in the general population. Few diagnosis-specific
sex differences in odor identification, detection threshold sensitivity, discrimination, and
memory have been demonstrated. It has been posited that this is likely due to the shortage of
studies examining olfactory processing by sex in schizophrenia patients relative to controls
62
[27]. One study of schizophrenia patients found that male patients performed worse than
female patients, male controls and female controls, whereas the latter three groups performed
comparably, suggesting a differential sex effect in patients [220]. There is also evidence that
male schizophrenia patients exhibited hedonic deficits in experiencing pleasant odors relative
to female schizophrenia patients, suggesting that subjective odor judgments, associated with
affect, may differ by sex [221]. By comparison, one recent large, retrospective study of young
psychotic patients (in the early course of illness) found a normal pattern of sex differences in
smell identification among patients [222]. These studies (albeit limited in number) suggest a
potential relation of olfactory sex differences with illness duration (and possibly age); the lack
of research in this area highlights the need for future investigation along these lines.
Interestingly, while there is a dearth of literature on sex differences in sensory processing
in schizophrenia, there is an emerging body of literature pointing to sex differences and
hormonal influences in sensorimotor gating and implications for psychosis (for review see
[223]). As outlined by Kumari [223], sensorimotor gating generally refers to the process (or
ability) to filter out (or gate) irrelevant or interfering information/stimuli within the
environment. One operational index of sensorimotor gating is prepulse inhibition (PPI), or
attenuation of the startle response. Impaired gating of stimulus interference (or PPI) was
initially demonstrated in schizophrenia over three decades ago [224], lending support to the
theory that this disorder involved early stage information processing deficits, which are
believed to contribute to sensory overload [225] and play a role in psychotic symptoms [226].
PPI is of marked interest in the field particularly as a potential endophenotypic marker
of psychosis - given it is highly heritable [227], reduced across the schizophrenia spectrum
[228], [229], and genetically mediated [223], [230]. Kumari [223] emphasizes that some
genetic influences, however, appear to be specific to healthy men, whereas PPI in healthy
women is speculated to vary as a function of the menstrual cycle. The author reviews the
literature demonstrating that PPI is sexually dimorphic (though not prior to 8 years of age)
and sensitive to menstrual cycle phase in healthy women with more PPI during early
follicular (when estrogen levels are low) relative to luteal phase (when estrogen and
progesterone levels are high). PPI is additionally of interest in light of research suggesting
that 1) second generation antipsychotics may attenuate PPI impairments in schizophrenia
[231] and 2) progesterone may have antipsychotic-like effects, including PPI restoration,
among healthy young women during the luteal menstrual phase [232].
CONCLUSION
It is now well established that schizophrenia has neurodevelopmental origins, as
evidenced (in part) by a wide range of neurobiological findings that link vulnerability factors
and disruptions in early development with subsequent illness manifestation. As reviewed in
this chapter, some prime influences include genetic factors (i.e., candidate/susceptibility
genes, modifier genes, epigenetics) and pre-/perinatal factors that impact brain development,
as well as sensory processing/sensorimotor gating deficits that may serve as potential
vulnerability indicators of psychosis risk. Associations across these influences and their
interactions (e.g., gene-environment interactions) are increasingly being considered with
respect to etiology of, and risk for, psychosis from a diathesis-stress perspective. Relatively
63
new to this field of study is consideration of sexual dimorphisms and the modulating role of
neurohormones in setting the stage for and later potentiating - underlying vulnerability
towards illness manifestation. Emerging awareness of the import of neurohormonal
influences in psychosis risk and outcome, particularly during adolescence, as evidenced (in
part) by longitudinal pubertal elevations in hormones that are exaggerated in psychosis risk
(e.g., [85]; see [233]), sex differences [234], and menstrual cycle (natural fluctuations in
gonadal hormone) effects on stress hormones and non-clinical psychiatric symptoms in young
adulthood [22], brings to our attention the role of neuromaturational processes that extend
beyond the earliest of neurodevelopmental periods. This is reinforced by evidence that the
epigenome, for example, is sensitive to environmental influences beginning in the prenatal
period, through puberty and into old age (see [15]). Though extensive discussion is beyond
the scope of this chapter, elucidation of early developmental (e.g., genetic; pre-/perinatal)
influences, how these are modified by later developmental events - both environmental and
neurobiological in nature (e.g., pubertal hormone surge) and, importantly, their underlying
neural mechanisms have important implications for early identification of at-risk youth and
future development of means of prevention and early intervention across the psychotic
spectrum.
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 4
PSYCHOSES IN A CHILD AND ADOLESCENT

PSYCHIATRIC POPULATION AND THEIR
OUTCOME IN ADULTHOOD
Ulf Engqvist*
Ulf Engqvist, PhD, Senior lecturer in Social Work,
Department of Social Work, Mid-Sweden University,
stersund, Sweden
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to give answers to a number of questions concerning a
group of former child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP) patients diagnosed during
childhood, adolescence or adulthood as suffering from schizophrenia, schizotypal
disorder, delusional disorders and/or psychotic mood disorders.
At what age was the diagnosis made? Was this diagnosis later changed and, if so, in
what manner? Were early signs of the disorder detectable prior to or at the time of
admission to CAP care? Which CAP patients were later diagnosed as psychotic in
general (adult) psychiatry (GenP) and how did this latter group differ from those who had
already received a diagnosis before the age of 18 years? 1,400 CAP patients admitted
1975-1990 to inpatient or outpatient CAP care in Jmtland County, Sweden were
followed until 2003. Jmtland County is located in the western part of middle Sweden at
the border to Norway.
The status of the patients mental health was monitored until 2003 using official
registries and hospital records. A specific re-examination of CAP hospital records for
those having a psychosis diagnosis either at CAP and or in GenP was performed in 2007.
The records were evaluated using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental
States (CAARMS), in which any possible early signs of psychosis were noted. Sixty-two
former CAP patients (4.4%;) received a psychosis diagnosis during the observation time,
48 of them within the diagnosis block of Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional
disorders and 14 within the Psychotic mood disorders block.
E-mail: ulf,[email protected]
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Ulf Engqvist
Mean age at first onset was 21.4 years (SD 6.4). Behavioral changes, including social
isolation, refusal to go to school, loneliness and odd behavior in general and positive
symptoms were the initial signs and symptoms most frequently observed prior or upon
admission to CAP care.
Psychotic disorders have been and continue to be relatively uncommon among
patients admitted to CAP care in Sweden. Psychotic disorders in average have a debut
during late adolescence and early adult-life. Disorders in the ICD category of
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders are more common than those
classified as Psychotic mood disorders.
However, individuals experiencing early onset of disorders categorized as
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders may already exhibit typical
symptoms upon admission to CAP care at the age of 13-17; whereas with late-onset
disorders, it appears not be associated with any obvious signs or symptoms years before
the disorder has developed fully.
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the occurrence of psychoses in a CAP population in a smaller county
council and province study area in Sweden is described. It also describes the outcome in
adulthood for patients having psychoses in childhood and adolescence in terms of later GenP
care and diagnoses, mortality and criminality.
Psychoses refer to the category of mental health problems that include schizophrenia,
schizotypal disorder, delusional disorders and/or psychotic mood disorders. They are defined
by ICD-10 chapter V, block F20-29 and block F30-F39.
TWO PSYCHIATRIC SETTINGS WITHIN

SWEDISH PSYCHIATRY
Psychiatry is one of the most large-scale caring sectors in our time. It is probably the
most changeable and widely prejudice-loaded sector in the health care system in Sweden. The
most rapidly growing, controversy-ridden, and attention-attracting area of history over the
past generation has been the history of psychiatry [1].
Psychiatry is not at all a uniform concept. In Sweden, there are three psychiatric settings,
GenP, forensic psychiatry and CAP working with adult patients, children and young people
up to 18 years and mentally disordered offenders, respectively [2]. Without being a specialty,
there are also units for geriatric psychiatry in some hospitals. Particularly, in the research
work, delimitation of psychiatry is made with consideration to method and theoretical basis
in, for example, dynamic psychiatry, social psychiatry and biological psychiatry [3].
Psychiatry has a history dating back to medieval times when the church organized the
first care of the sick in Sweden and the healthcare facilities belonged to the monasteries. In
the 18th century, the madhouses played a more important role. General hospitals for care of
physical diseases were established but the mentally ill remained at the madhouses [4].
Around 1860, several large changes within psychiatry and psychiatric care in Sweden was
effected. A new regulation was sanctioned and psychiatry became an established branch of
learning at the medical seats of learning and more hospitals were built [5]. In 1851, the
Psychoses in a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Population
81
Government laid the foundation for psychiatry as a medical specialty [6]. Construction of new
mental hospitals after the turn of the century took off and grew in the following decades, until
the 1960s as an expression of a general institutionalization trend. From 1900 to 1950, the
number of beds at the mental hospitals increased from 4,600 to 25,000. In the beginning of
the1960s, there were 31 free-standing mental hospitals in Sweden [7]. In 1967, when the
county councils took over the responsibility for mental health services from the Government,
the number of inpatient beds was approximately 36,000; most of them in mental hospitals.
On January 1, 1995, the Community Mental Health Care reform [8] came into effect; a
reform that all political parties supported. The reform made clear the liability for the
municipality to provide for occupation and housing so that the psychiatric disabled patients
could adapt themselves to the society. They were now seen as mentally handicapped and
placed under the same act as individuals with a bodily handicap, The Act on Support and
Service (LSS) [9].
In 2001, only 5,565 beds for inpatient psychiatric care remained and in 2006, the number
was 4,600 beds. An increasing population and decreasing number of beds has lead to more
individuals out of society [10].
The national psychiatry coordinator (which was appointed as an investigator of
psychiatry at the beginning of the 2000s) established that the Community Mental Health Care
Reform from 1995 has implied an increased supply of housing and occupation in the
municipalities and that the needs of the target group has been attended to in a better way than
before. But the weak support in law for the reform, the lack of local political support and the
lack of evidence-based methods for the community-based support caused obstacles that to a
great extent, remains more than ten years later [9].
For a long time, children and young were not separated from adults in the psychiatric
context. As a medical specialty, CAP is altogether a 20th century matter but intelligence
defects and psychoses among children had been paid attention to through earlier centuries.
They were treated together with adults in the madhouses [11].
Within pediatrics, it was observed early during the latter part of the 19th century that
children could also show nervous and mental diseases. Sweden was the first country in the
world to set up special chairs on child diseases. The first psychiatric guidance unit was
established in Stockholm in 1914. School psychiatry was also a form of early child
psychiatry. The child custody authority in Stockholm established the Child Guidance Clinics
Centrals in the beginning of the 1930s.
Professorships in CAP were established from 1958 onwards. In November 1960, the
mental healthcare was subsidized by the State. Ten independent CAP clinics were active in
Sweden at that time. In 1971, all county councils have an organization with in- and outpatient
services for CAP. The State subsidy regulation remained to the end of 1975 when the number
of clinics was 30 [12-13].
Three years after the Community Mental Health Care reform in 1995, another
governmental report on CAP was published. That report established, among other things, that
psychiatric care for youths with severe psychological disturbances such as eating disorders,
autism, schizophrenia, severe obsessive-compulsive disorders and depression with suicide
risk did not seem to be working in a satisfactory manner. Many proposals were given in the
report but few were realized [14-16].
During the 1990s, the inflow of admissions to CAP increased to a large extent. The
waiting lists grow and it was not unusual with more than yearlong periods of waiting for care.
82
Ulf Engqvist
This caused debate in the media and in the authorities [14-17]. The history of GenP in
Jmtland County follows the history for the rest of the country. Frs Hospital, which was
finished in 1912, was one of the largest mental hospitals built in Sweden at that time. As late
as the start of the 1980s, there were more than 20 psychiatric wards with more than 1,000
inpatients. During the 1980s, the psychiatry was divided in sectors. At the start of the 1990s,
psychiatry was transferred from Frs hospital to stersunds hospital and became a
psychiatric unit integrated with the physical care. Today there are five wards and less than
100 beds.
As early as in 1944, Jmtland County Council came to a decision that child and youth
care should be organized in the County and the activity started in August 1946 and was closed
in the beginning of 1948 when the chief physician left his post. The work was conducted
without a treatment ward but with the possibility to use three beds at the pediatric ward.
Consulting hours existed at not less than nine different places in the County [18].
It took more than twenty years before CAP again was established in Jmtland. In
September 1970, the activity started with one childrens ward and one youth ward with seven
beds each. The childrens ward was transformed to a family ward in 1977 but that was closed
one year later. From 1978 up to and until 1993, there was one ward with five beds. In the
beginning, the care was characterized by traditional nursing- a successive change and
development towards environment therapy and family therapy. In 1984, a treatment home
was opened and it was closed ten years later.
The inpatient activities were replaced in the mid 1990s by an intensified systemic
outpatient treatment at the same time as the treatment home and the ward were closed [1819]. During the time for CAP care, this chapter comprises both outpatient and inpatient care
at a ward and a treatment home that was active.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN GENERAL PSYCHIATRY
AND CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
There are many similarities between GenP and CAP. The two disciplines have operated
in parallel during the last 100 years. Despite the similarities, there is a lack of significant and
reliable information regarding, for instance, the relationship between psychiatric deviations
and behavioral disturbances in childhood and psychiatric disorders and social adjustment
problems and or criminality later in adulthood.
Information about the relationship between behavioral disturbances in childhood and
criminality in later life has, however, developed further compared to information about
psychological deviations during childhood and later psychiatric illness. There is also a virtual
lack of information regarding possible early symptoms of mental disorders, and how they
change during the process of maturing from childhood to adulthood.
It is easy to describe the difference between the two psychiatric settings. CAP works with
psychopathological states of the growing and maturing individual or personality where the
psychopathological symptoms change in pace with maturity. GenP, on the other hand, works
with adult patients where the process of maturing has, if not ended, at least slowed down.
83
This means that psychiatrists working with adult patients can work with a system of
classification of symptoms over time and states that are not as dependent on age and
maturation.
In CAP, great individual differences and gender differences appear which is why
symptoms and behavioral disturbances can actually have varying meaning even in children of
the same age. A certain symptom can also form an adequate way of expression for children of
a certain age, but be considered pathological in other ages.
BACKGROUND
For more than three decades, Michel Rutter and co-workers [20-22] have periodically
reviewed the literature concerning relationships between childhood and adult
psychopathology, with particular focus on possible mechanisms involved in the continuities
and discontinuities observed between early and late psychopathology, as well as the need for
systematic, prospective and long-term longitudinal investigations in this area.
On the whole, the findings on the long-term course of schizophrenia beginning in
childhood are broadly similar to that of schizophrenia beginning in adult life. In both cases,
the disorder is usually fluctuating with each episode often marked by prodromal, active and
recuperative phases, followed by quiescent or residual deficit periods. Like the earlier studies
of special groups, the general population prospective studies have confirmed that overt
schizophrenia in adulthood is frequently preceded by socio-emotional behavioral disturbances
[22]. The long-term course of childhood and adolescent onset schizophrenia is worse than in
adulthood schizophrenia, and the patients with manifestation of the disorder below the age of
14 have a very poor prognosis [23].
Nevertheless, early case-control and follow-back studies [24] showed that children who later
developed overt schizophrenia were more likely than controls to show social, emotional and
behavioral problems in childhood [22]. Various behaviors, in particular, withdrawn and
delinquent-aggressive behavior in adolescents at risk of schizophrenia may predict a later
onset of the illness. These behaviors, however, are far less predictive of isolated psychotic
symptoms prior to a psychosis onset [25]. Schizophrenia-related psychoses can be followed
back to early behavioral disturbances [26]. Conduct Disorder is a distinct comorbid disorder
that runs parallel to the course of schizophrenia [27]. Early neuroticism may be a precursor to
the onset of psychotic symptoms. The mechanisms underlying this association are unclear,
but may relate to overlapping features between prodromal phases of psychosis and items that
measure neuroticism [28]. Total population epidemiological and longitudinal studies provided
a stronger test of the suggestion that abnormalities in childhood constituted precursors of
schizophrenia that did not become manifested until early adult life. The precursors include
delays in early motor development and impairments in receptive language and cognitive
functioning [22]. Findings on CAP clinic attendees who go on to develop either schizophrenia
or bipolar disorder, nevertheless, suggests that there may be a degree of diagnostic specificity,
with abnormal suspiciousness / sensitivity and relationship difficulties with peers being
particularly associated with later schizophrenia [29). Three main queries have yet to be
resolved concerning the meaning of the findings on the features in childhood and adolescence
that predict the later development of a schizophrenic psychosis. Accordingly, this necessarily
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Ulf Engqvist
raises queries about what is meant by a prodromal phase. Second, all of the findings raise the
question of what it is that leads to the translation of precursors or prodromata into overt
schizophrenia. The final query concerns the possibility that, despite the early neurodevelopmental abnormalities, there are further changes in both cognitive function and brain
structure and function that take place during the course of the schizophrenia spectrum
disorder in adult life either as a result of the disease process or of the drugs used in its
treatment [22].
SWEDISH CHILD AND ADOLESCENT

PSYCHIATRY PATIENTS
The population of Swedish CAP patients is heterogeneous, including children who
demonstrate problems at school, adjustment/behavioral symptoms and/or psychiatric
problems, as well as children with psychosocial, family-related difficulties [30-32]. Those
treated prior to 13 years of age often exhibit behavioral symptoms and difficulties with
adjustment to peer groups and to school and other members of their families frequently
experience psychosocial problems as well. In contrast, adolescents receiving such care appear
to develop their own more often than do infants and school children, with less common
occurrences of parallel psychosocial problems among the rest of the family. The typical CAP
patient is either a troublesome 10-year-old boy or a depressed 14-year-old girl [30-33].
At least a third of all CAP patients, and more often girls than boys, are later seen again as
psychiatric patients after reaching adulthood [32, 34-35]. However, the correlation between
the nature of the psychopathology requiring CAP care and later diagnosis as an adult is weak.
Only a small group of patients require continuous care from childhood to adulthood.
Furthermore, the major reasons for which former CAP patients are admitted to GenP care are
drug and/or alcohol addiction and/or criminality, rather than symptoms of a psychiatric
disorder [31-32, 35-36].
PREVIOUS LONGITUDINAL STUDIES

In Sweden, we can proudly note that there are prospective and longitudinal studies
describing CAP patient materials in different time periods, from 1928 until present, and this
may be considered to be unique in the research field. Researchers in the Nordic countries,
especially in Finland, also have the opportunity to use registers that allow longitudinal studies
of this kind. In the following sections, different longitudinal studies from Sweden and some
Nordic studies are reviewed.
DESCRIPTIONS OF CAP PATIENTS

CAP patients have been described from as early as 1928 when Alice Hellstrm started
her description of psychopathic boys treated at the Mellansj treatment home. Alice
Hellstrm described all of the children who came to Mellansj treatment home 1928-1940
85
under a special research protocol, which she established with the help of Bror Gadelius and
Isak Jundell. She then followed her patients for a long time after her retirement and until
1968. However, because of her age, she was not capable of completing her report. The
complete research material was bequeathed to the CAP clinic at the St Grans childrens
hospital in Stockholm, where Ingegrd Fried completed the work in her licentiates
dissertation [37]. Alice Hellstrms own words when she was about sixty years, grappling
with its materials and the long observation period, are worth considering: It is about a child
material which, although very different from todays, but to their essential constitutional
reactions, is the same human beings as today [37].
The next study of children treated by CAP was the longitudinal prospective follow up of
2,164 child and adolescent guidance clinic patients (cared for 1953-1955) followed up to
1975. This group was originally studied by Curman and the study was later completed by
Nylander [30, 36]. The Stockholm population has been used as a comparison group.
DIFFERENT SWEDISH RISK GROUPS

Various risk and control groups and children from the general population have been
described with prospective longitudinal research from the perspective of several scientific
disciplines (see Table 1). This provides a number of opportunities to discuss similarities and
differences between patient groups, other groups at risk and children in general.
In addition to the studies named above, there are also descriptions of CAP patients
conducted with so called cross-section methods. In 1950, Chief Physician, Svante Nycander
at the Erica Foundation presented his thesis Personlighetsutveckling p avvgar
(Personality Astray), where 308 boys and girls that were examined and treated at the Erica
Foundation Curative Pedagogy Institute in Stockholm were described [33].
Table 1. Different risk groups as described
with longitudinal / prospective methodology
Sample
Discipline
Criminality
Alcoholism
Psychopathic boys treated at

the Mellansj-treatment home
Delinquent boys treated at the
Childrens Village SK
Young law-breakers from the
general population
CAP
41%
28%
CAP
67%
58%
CAP, Sociology,
Psychology,
Criminology
CAP
39%
46%
1960-1972
[3]
42%
58%
CAP
14%
21%
CAP
42%
35%
1964-1985
1964-1977
[4]
1930-1972
[5]
1958-1978
[6]
Teenage alcoholics
Adopted children with heredity

for social problems /alcoholism
Children of alcoholic fathers
Follow-up
period
1928-1968
[1]
1954-1973 [2]
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Ulf Engqvist
Ulf Otto, at the University of Lund, used retrospective longitudinal methods in his thesis
from 1972 Barns och ungdomars sjlvmordshandlingar (Suicidal acts by children and
adolescents) [43] to describe during a period of fifteen years the outcome for 1,727 boys and
girls that at the end of the 1950s were treated for attempted suicide. The results have been
recovered also in later Swedish studies that indicates that children and youths suicide acts are
a call for help that needs treatment, support and help [43]. However, attempted suicide in
itself may be a poor predictor for later executed suicide. The high risk group that commits
suicide before the age of 25 seems to be found among those who develop psychiatric illness
or anti-sociality and addiction [32, 34].
During pre-puberty and puberty, behavior problems and mental symptoms are common
among children in general. When 222 common Stockholm boys were described during the
1950s, it appeared that every tenth boy in the age of 8-16 years had phobias and compulsive
acts. The result of the description of symptoms showed that every fourth schoolboy suffered
from some kind of difficulty, nervous symptom or difficulty in adapting to the extent that
specialist help or special treatment was needed. However, their prognosis was not decided by
the load of symptoms or the behavioral disturbances. The 18-year follow-up assessment
showed that the prognosis for most of them was much better than was expected and it was not
the load of symptoms but learning ability and home environment that was of importance for
the future outcome [38].
STUDIES ON THE SWEDISH

GENERAL POPULATION
In addition, different risk and control groups and the general population have been
studied with prospective longitudinal research methods from various disciplines during the
second half of the 20th century as shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Different control groups and children from the general population
as described with longitudinal / prospective methodology
Sample
The Lundby-study
Discipline
Psychiatry
Criminality
8%
Alcoholism
10%
222 Stockholm boys
CAP
15%
19%
Controls/social twins to
children of alcoholic fathers
The Metropolitan project
CAP
25%
20%
Sociology,
Criminology
Paediatrics,
CAP
Psychology
31%
The Solna Study

The IDA-project
35%
38%
17%
Follow-up period
1947-1987
1947-1972
[1, 7]
1954-1973
[2]
1958-1978
[6]
1963-1979
[8-9]
1955-1988
[10-11]
1965-1985
1965-1980
[12-13]
87
The Lundby Study is a project exceptional and world leading by its prospective design
[1]. International reviewers [51] have stated that the Lundby Study has produced prevalence,
incidence and outcome data on depression and anxiety over many years, and is one of the few
studies capable of producing reliable data on changes in incidence [52]. It is a well-known
longitudinal survey of the mental health in a total Swedish population during the time period
from July 1, 1947, to July 1, 1997. The Lundby population consisting of 3,563 probands was
investigated in 1947, 1957, and 1972. Sufficient information was available for 9899% of the
subjects. In 19972000, Per Nettelbladt and his research team carried through a fourth field
investigation.
In a longitudinal research project, Nylander and Rydelius [42] followed up with the
children of male alcoholics from the lowest social class. The results of these studies have
shown that when they are still small, the children exhibit signs of mental disturbances and that
when they become adults; the boys develop social maladjustment problems and addictions,
and have a high rate of both somatic and psychiatric diseases. In comparison to their controls
(matched for socio-economic class), the values found for these variables are consistently
higher for the probands.
The Stockholm Metropolitan study is a follow-up of 15,000 individuals born in 1953 who
were still living in the Stockholm Metropolitan area in 1963. The project was initiated by late
professor Carl-Gunnar Jansson and is now conducted by Sten-ke Stenberg and Denny
Vger [53]. The study was primarily concerned with sociological issues of social mobility
and organization, conformity and deviance, and marital patterns. This study has resulted in
over 100 publications [54].
The IDA project is a prospective, longitudinal research program led by Professor David
Magnusson from the outset in 1965, investigating three cohorts of subjects: all boys and girls
who attended school in a municipality in mid-Sweden, and attended the third, sixth or eighth
grade at the time of the first data collection. The main group, encompassing in excess of
1,400 individuals, are the participants in most of the research conducted in the program [55].
The Solna study is a birth-to-maturity study of 212 children born in Stockholm in the mid
1950s. The goal was to acquire a comprehensive picture of individual growth and
development by charting the course of physical and psychological development and obtaining
reasonably comprehensive life histories that would be useful in many areas of research. The
information covers many issues from birth to mid-life. The database is large [56].
STUDIES IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

Thomsen followed up a total of 546 children and adolescents in Denmark, aged 5 to 15
years. They were inpatients in psychiatric hospitals throughout Denmark between 1970 and
1973, and followed up regarding later readmissions and mortality. Approximately one-third
of the sample had at least one readmission after the age of 18 years. In total, 24 probands died
during the study period. Eight individuals had committed suicide. The SMR was significantly
increased [57].
Thomsen also performed a register-based study of 485 children (0-15 years of age)
admitted to a child psychiatric hospital from January 1, 1970, to December 31, 1972, who
were followed up on December 31, 1986. They showed higher rates of admission to
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Ulf Engqvist
psychiatric hospitals in late adolescence or young adulthood than found in an agestandardized general population [58].
Psychiatric morbidity, expressed as hospital admissions during a 30-year follow-up
period, among 322 former child psychiatric patients in a register investigation was studied by
Larsen. They were admitted from 1949-1951, and were followed up as of December 31, 1980.
By the variables employed, 37% of the sample was judged to have had a good overall
outcome, with diagnosis being an inconsistent predictor of outcome [59-60].
An epidemiological study of psychopathology in the first years of life and of the
association between mental health problems in infancy and psychiatric disturbances later in
life is investigated in a project studying mental health problems and possibilities of
intervention from infancy and onward. This Danish study of a general population consists of a
birth cohort of 6,090 children born in the year 2000 in the County of Copenhagen, the
Copenhagen County Child Cohort (CCCC 2000). Results from this study will add to the
knowledge of risk factors and course of mental health problems in childhood and contribute
to the validation of the mental health screening made by public health nurses [61].
A Norwegian population of 1,276 former adolescent psychiatric inpatients was followed
up on 15 to 33 years after hospitalization by Kjelsberg by record linkage to the national
registers of criminality (n=932), disability benefits (n=1,095) and causes of death (n=1,095).
In total, 1,095 patients (53.7% males), representing 85.8% of the original sample could be
traced. At follow-up, 52.0% of those investigated had engaged in criminal activity. It was
shown that male sex, psychoactive substance use disorder, short hospital stay and poor
impulse control remained strong and independent predictors of death [62-66].
The Finnish From a Boy to a Man study has an objective to study associations between
comorbid psychopathology and long-term outcomes in a large birth cohort sample from age 8
to early adulthood. The sample included long-term outcome data on 2,556 Finnish boys born
in 1981 and the aim was to study the impact of early childhood psychopathology types and
informant sources on young adult outcomes, based on data from a military registry of
psychiatric diagnosis, a police registry on criminal and drug offenses, and self-reported
problems in late adolescence and early adulthood. The conclusions in this study were that the
subjective suffering and long-term burden to society are especially high among children with
comorbid conduct and internalizing problems in childhood. A major challenge for CAP,
education, and social services is to develop effective intervention strategies focusing on these
children [67].
In a population-based birth cohort in Finland, with the aim of studying the continuity of
psychopathology from the age of 3-12 years, childrens emotional and behavioral problems
were assessed at age 3 using the Child Behavior Checklist 2-3, and at age 12 by parents using
the Child Behavior Checklist 11-18, and the Youth Self Report completed by the children.
Behavioral ratings were obtained from 800 subjects at both time points and the results showed
the complexity of pathways in psychopathology from early childhood to pre-adolescence. In
particular, aggressive and destructive behavior in very early childhood predicted later
problems and require early recognition and possible intervention at an early age [68].
A Northern Finland 1966 birth cohort has been followed-up on in different studies for 34
and 35 years regarding childhood precursors and risk factors of schizophrenia. The findings
supported the longitudinal dimension and life span models of schizophrenia. No powerful risk
factor, pre-morbid sign or risk indicator was identified that was useful for the prediction of
schizophrenia in the general population [69-72].
89
AIM AND QUESTIONS

The aim was to obtain answers to a number of questions concerning a group of former
CAP patients diagnosed during child- or adulthood as suffering from schizophrenia,
schizotypal disorder, delusional disorders and/or psychotic mood disorders: At what age was
the diagnosis made? Was this diagnosis later changed and, if so, in what manner? Were early
signs of the disorder detectable prior to or at the time of admission to CAP care? Which CAP
patients were later diagnosed as psychotic in GenP? And how did this latter group differ from
those who had already received a diagnosis before the age of 18 years?
MATERIAL AND METHODS

JMTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL
Jmtland County is one of Swedens 21 counties. It consists of the two provinces
Hrjedalen and Jmtland and minor parts of ngermanland and Hlsingland. Jmtland is
located in the western part of middle Sweden at the border to Norway. It represents 12% of
Swedens total land mass but only 1.5% of the population. From 1975 2003, the total
population varied from 133,433 to 127,645 with a peak of 136,301 inhabitants in 1994.
stersund is the only city in the county and the city is a major trade center for the entire
county.
The county and the regional hospital in stersund were well suited for this type of
description. In Jmtland County there was one CAP clinic and one GenP clinic under the
same health organization giving service to the whole population. Both clinics were located in
the same hospital organization at stersund Hospital.
THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

PATIENT GROUP
All 1,420 patients born between 1957 and 1976 and admitted to in- or outpatient CAP
care in Jmtland County, Sweden, during the period of 1975-1990 were initially considered
for inclusion. Eight individuals not covered by the national registries and twelve who
subsequently emigrated during the follows-up period were excluded, leaving a total of 1,400
former CAP patients, including 285 in- and 1,115 outpatient, or 98.6% of the original
population. These children and adolescents were referred to CAP by pediatricians or general
practitioners (35%), by school or childcare personnel (22%), by social services (12%) or other
authorities (2%) or else they themselves and/or their parents sought help (29%). They were all
evaluated, in general, treated and terminated their contact with CAP between 1975 and 1990,
although some of the youngest patients were readmitted to such care subsequent to 1990.
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Ulf Engqvist
Table 3. Index groups for the Stockholm and Jmtland populations
Primary Material
Excluded:
Emigrated
Deceased during follow up
Unusable data
Inpatient care
Less than 20 year follow up
Index group:
Males
Females
Stockholm
Number
2364
Percent
Jmtland
Number
1420
Percent
100
50
50
0
0
2164
1417
747
4,2
2,1
2,1
0
0
91,5
65,5
34,5
12
38
8
270
484
608
325
283
0,8
2,7
0,6
19
34,1
42,8
53,5
46,5
A PATIENT GROUP USED FOR COMPARISON

In Table 3, the number of patients not included in the final samples from the comparison
group (the Stockholm study) [36] and the corresponding group from Jmtland, and the
reasons for the exclusion of these patients are listed as well as the distribution of those
assessed in a 20-year follow-up after their CAP care and the distribution of gender.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND PROCEDURES

In 1995, a protocol for describing the patients and their histories was established. After
identification of patients previously receiving CAP and/or GenP care, both within and outside
Jmtland County on the basis of hospital records and linkage to the nationwide Swedish
Hospital Discharge Registry (HDR), their gender, present age, reason for initial contact with
CAP and/or GenP, and diagnoses, as well as any necessity for inpatient care were noted.
During the periods of 1968-1996 and 1987-1996, the ICD-8 and ICD-9 systems, respectively,
were employed in Sweden, prior to the introduction of ICD-10 in 1997. To allow
comparisons, all diagnoses based on the ICD-8 and ICD-9 categories were converted to ICD10 [73-74] utilizing the official conversion tables published by the Swedish National Board of
Health and Welfare [75-76]. Although the Swedish Association for Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry has decided to also apply the DSM system in parallel for clinical practice,
obligatory ICD classification is utilized for official registration of diagnoses.
All of the 285 CAP patients admitted to the inpatient care received a diagnosis in
connection with their treatment, whereas outpatients were not usually given a diagnosis in
cases where their symptoms and problems were developmental in origin or a reaction to their
living circumstances. Nonetheless, for 616 of these 1,115 outpatients (55 %), a CAP
diagnosis was recorded. In the case of GenP, both in- and outpatients received a diagnosis, so
that 524 of the 531 patients (99 %) later admitted to GenP had diagnoses noted in their
91
hospital records and/or in the HDR registry. Specific evaluation of hospital records indicating
a diagnosis of psychosis was performed.
Until 1995, combinations of retrospective and prospective approaches were employed,
whereas thereafter only prospective methods were used until 2003. The mean observation
time was 16.1 (SD 8.5) years, with a range of 12-28 years. A 20-year follow-up was available
for 608 of the 1115 outpatients in the study group. Utilizing the t-test for a difference between
two proportions the outcomes of these long-term follow-ups have been compared, to
published data concerning the occurrence and frequencies of psychotic disorders observed in
connection with the 20-year prospective follow-up of 2,164 outpatients treated at the Child
Guidance Clinics in Stockholm during the period of 1953-1955 [30, 36].
COLLECTION OF DATA
After eliciting the required permission and ethical approval, collection of the data was
initiated by examining the CAP hospital records, followed by a prospective survey of a
number of these patients later referred to GenP care prior to 2003. Information concerning
out- and inpatient GenP care in Jmtland County was obtained by examining local registries,
hospital records and the nationwide Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry (HDR)
correspondence. Information regarding inpatient care outside of this county was provided by
the HDR (which only covers inpatient care). The protocol entailed recording the following
information from the CAP hospital records:
Age at first admission to CAP and age at finishing the care and gender.
Who referred the patient to the CAP clinic?
Where or with whom they lived with during period of CAP care (family, foster family,
institution, etc.).
Problems with learning and/or behavior problems at school.
Information about inpatient or outpatient care at the CAP clinic.
At the time of admission to the CAP clinic, family circumstances. If the patients
biological parents were living together, this would be described as a complete family and
if not, as a split family.
Any information about adoption.
Reason for admission to the CAP clinic according to standards established by the
Swedish Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Diagnosis.
One-third of the outpatients were not given a formal diagnosis. Outpatients in the CAP
clinic did not receive diagnoses when their problems were considered temporary due to
growing and maturation.
The retrospective data from CAP hospital records were used as independent variables to
the dependent variables mood disorder or not, deceased or alive, suicide or not suicide,
convicted of offenses or not and GenP care or not.
The CAP hospital records of those patients who received a diagnosis of schizophrenia
and/or psychotic mood disorders at any time during the follow-up were evaluated in greater
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Ulf Engqvist
detail for any early signs of possible psychosis utilizing the Comprehensive Assessment of atRisk Mental States (CAARMS) developed by Yung and colleagues [77].
The goals of this instrument are two-fold, i.e., to assess psychopathology thought to
indicate imminent development of a first-episode psychotic disorder and to determine
whether an individual is at ultra-high-risk (UHR) for onset of an initial psychotic disorder.
The diagnostic criteria for UHR have been refined for improved precision by researchers
at the University of Melbourne [78-79] and Yale University [80], who have developed sets of
criteria based on the presence or onset of one or more of the following: attenuated psychotic
symptoms (ideas of reference, magical thinking, perceptual disturbance, paranoid ideation,
and odd thinking and/or speech); intermittent psychotic symptoms of too short duration to
meet the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder for psychosis
i.e., (symptoms which spontaneously disappear within 1 week); a first-degree family history
of a psychotic or bipolar disorder; or a personal history of schizotypal personality disorder,
with significant recent functional decline [81].
SWEDISH REGISTERS
Sweden and the Nordic countries, especially Finland, are unique concerning official
registers. In this chapter, several Swedish national registers were used. The parish registration
required by the 1686 Church Ordinance laid the groundwork for future population statistics.
Sweden began to keep population statistics in 1749, quite a unique phenomenon.
National registration is the fundamental registration of the Swedish population. In the
national registration, it is continuously registered who is living in the country and where they
live. The register is based on personal identification numbers.
For a long time it was conducted by the church through parish registration, but since July
1, 1991, the Swedish Tax Authority is responsible for the national registration [82].
Information from the National registration; i.e. personal identification was used as a base for
gathering information from all other official registers, which are described below.
From 1987, the National Patient Register covers all public inpatient care in Sweden.
Statistics of diseases and surgical treatments of patients have a long history in Sweden.
Data of this kind has been published for more than 100 years and was available during
the entire 20th century. In the 1960s, the National Board of Health and Welfare started to
collect data on individual patients who had been treated as inpatients at public hospitals. The
register built up at that time initially covered all patients treated in psychiatric care and
around 16% of patients in somatic care, involving six of the 26 county councils in Sweden
[83]. This register has been used to collect data pertaining to inpatient psychiatric care and
diagnoses.
The National Causes of Death Register has been used to establish time for death and
causes of death. Along with the register, death certificates have been examined. The National
Causes of Death Register goes back to 1749 when a nation-wide report system first was
introduced.
The National Causes of Death Register is annually updated and based on personal
identification numbers and includes all death certificates for the Swedish population. The
93
National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare has been responsible for publication since
1994 [84].
Statistics of persons convicted of offenses has continuously been recorded since 1972 by
SCB. The Swedish NCCP (BR) is, since July 1, 1994, responsible for Swedens official
crime statistics. The Register of Persons Convicted of Offenses has been used to obtain
information regarding criminality.
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA

The findings based on prospective data are descriptive in nature. All data analysis was
performed using the SPSS for Windows, release 12.0 (SPSS Inc) software. The chi-square
and t-tests were employed to analyze differences between categorical and continuous
variables, respectively, with a P-value of <0.05 being considered statistically significant in
both cases. Differences between proportions were analyzed utilizing a two-by-two cross table
and Students t-test.
Although this t-test is essentially not valid for making such comparisons, extensive
studies have shown it to be applicable also in these respects, and, consequently, the students
t-test has been widely and successfully used for analysis of proportional data [85]. There are a
number of proposals concerning how to present double-sided probabilities used to compare
proportional data [86]. When employing the sum of small (or significant) p-values, all
possible tables are generated within given margins, all p-values of the same size or smaller
than the point probability are added together to obtain the cumulative p-value, and the
resulting value is presented utilizing the notation p (O>=E |O<=E).
In the case of the method of small p-values, the exact point probability for the nil
hypothesis that produces the table observed is calculated first. Thereafter, all possible
alternative outcomes given the set conditions are generated with a computer program [85].
Since the number of calculations required with exact approaches can easily become
excessive (particularly in the case of larger tables), computer programs that provide exact
probabilities using the method of small p-values (such as the SPSS) sometimes extract a
single sample from all of the possible alternatives and use this to calculate an exact
probability value within confidence limits.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Personal registers are an inalienable part of the research design for longitudinal studies as
carried out in this chapter. A comprehensive regulation of research on humans is of national
and international nature.
To the extent that personal data is processed in the framework of a research project the
Personal Data Act (The Swedish Data Inspection Board 2008) that replaced the out-dated
Swedish Data Act from 1973 is applicable. Some personal information is particularly
sensitive. These are referred to in the Act as sensitive personal data.
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Ulf Engqvist
All health information is considered sensitive in the law, regardless of disease. Sensitive
personal data may be processed for research purposes under the conditions set out in the
Personal Data Act.
The data collection started long before the Act concerning the Ethical Review of
Research Involving Humans came into force and, in some cases, before the Personal Data
Act. The Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans includes, for example, research on
living persons, research on the deceased, research on biological material from humans and
research that involves the handling of sensitive personal data.
Accompanying the new law, an authority Centrala etikprvningsnmnden (the Central
Ethical Review Board) and six regional councils was established. The register study would be
implemented within the general register license for health and medical service and the
research ethical principles in force at each data collection were carefully followed. An initial
application for ethical permission was sent in 1995 and was approved by the ethical review
committee of the Medical Faculty of Ume University: Um document no. 95-051.
The research plan was later amended to include issues of crime and drug abuse.
Following a request of the ethics committee, I received notice that the original license (Um
document no. 95-051) could continue to apply to the register study on the CAP-patients and
future psychiatric morbidity and mortality but that new ethical applications must be submitted
for the parts of the project on crime and abuse. Additional applications were therefore sent in
for ethical review. In 1999, ethical review committees of the Medical Faculty of Ume
University and the Regional Research Committee at Karolinska Institutet approved the
expanded study on crime (Um document no. 99-023 and KI document no. 99-209). Every
register search has also been approved by the authority responsible for the register. The chief
physician of the CAP clinic and the GenP clinic both respectively approved the reading of
medical records within the general register license for health and medical service regularized
in the Official Secrets Act.
RESULTS
The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Patient
Group at Baseline
The gender distribution was 733 female (52.4%) and 667 male (47.6%).
Mean age at admission was 12.1 years of age (S.D. 4.0).
The patients were referred to CAP by pediatricians or general practitioners (35%), by
school or childcare personnel (22%), by social services (12%) or other authorities (2%) or
else they by themselves and/or their parents sought help (29%).
Inpatient care was given to 285 patients (20.4%).
Over half of the study group (52.5%) lived in a split family.
Nearly half of the patients (46.5%) had school problems noted in their records.
The most frequently occurring reasons for admission to CAP are shown in Table 4 and
diagnoses made at CAP are shown in Table 5.
95
Table 4. The ten most frequent occurring reasons

for admission to CAP, n = 1389
Reason for admission to CAP
Behavioral disorder
Relationship problems
Anxiety
Somatic problems and eating disorders
Mental retardation and developmental problems
Suicide attempt, suicide thoughts
Depression
Reaction to stress
Enuresis or encopresis
Abused and/or neglected
Frequency
292
258
181
138
80
71
60
52
47
38
Percentage
21.0
18.6
13.0
9.9
5.8
5.1
4.3
3.7
3.4
2.7
Table 5. Diagnoses (blocks) made at CAP according to ICD-10, n = 901

Diagnoses (block)
Z00-Z99 Factors influencing health status and contact with health
services
F90-F98 Behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually
occurring in childhood and adolescence
F40-F48 Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders
X60-X84 Intentional self-harm
F50-F59 Behavioral syndromes associated with physiological
disturbances and physical factors
F80-F89 Disorders of psychological development
F30-F39 Mood [affective] disorders
F70-F79 Mental retardation
F10-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive
substance use
F20-F29 Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders
F60-F69 Disorders of adult personality and behavior
Other diagnoses
F99 Unspecified mental disorder
Frequency
321
Percentage
35.6
196
21.8
140
48
46
15.5
5.3
5.1
39
31
27
24
4.3
3.4
3.0
2.7
20
4
4
1
2.2
0.4
0.4
0.1
THE INCIDENCES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

AND PSYCHOTIC MOOD DISORDERS
By the end of the follow-up period, 62 former CAP patients (36 women and 26 men),
which is 4.4% of the entire study population of 1,400, had received an ICD-10 diagnosis of
F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders (48 patients) and/or F30-39:
Psychotic mood disorders (14 patients). The gender distribution among these patients was
similar to that among the remainder, who had not been diagnosed as experiencing a
psychosis. The various diagnostic groups are presented in Table 6.
Of the one-third [21] of these individuals who received their initial diagnosis of psychosis
in connection with CAP care, only two were not considered to have such a condition during
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Ulf Engqvist
later GenP care. The remaining 41 patients were initially diagnosed as psychotic after
becoming adults, in connection with GenP care. The overall estimated incidence of firstepisode psychosis per 10,000 person-years in the study group was 15.4 (17.1 for females and
13.7 for males).
Table 6. Diagnoses of psychosis recorded in connection
with CAP and GenP care
Diagnosis
Number
diagnosed in
connection
with CAP
Boys Girls
8
7
Number diagnosed in
connection with GenP
Men Women
13
9
23
17
32
26
F20.0 Paranoid schizophrenia

F20.1 Hebephrenic schizophrenia
F20.2 Catatonic schizophrenia
F20.3 Undifferentiated schizophrenia
F20.5 Residual schizophrenia
F20.8 Other schizophrenia
F20.9 Schizophrenia, unspecified
F21 Schizotypal disorder
F22.0 Delusional disorder
F23.0 Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder without symptoms
of schizophrenia
F23.9 Acute and transient psychotic disorder, unspecified
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
5
1
1
0
0
1
1
8
0
1
5
0
0
1
F25.0 Schizoaffective disorder, manic type

F25.1 Schizoaffective disorder, depressive type
F25.2 Schizoaffective disorder, mixed type
F25.9 Schizoaffective disorder, unspecified
F29 Unspecified non-organic psychosis
Psychotic mood disorders
F30.8 Other manic episodes
F31.0 Bipolar affective disorder, current episode hypomanic
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
0
0
2
2
0
1
6
0
0
2
1
1
1
2
6
1
1
F31.2 Bipolar affective disorder, current episode manic with

psychotic symptoms
F31.3 Bipolar affective disorder, current episode mild or
moderate depression
F31.5 Bipolar affective disorder, current episode severe
depression with psychotic symptoms
F31.6 Bipolar affective disorder, current episode mixed
F31.7 Bipolar affective disorder, currently in remission
F39 Unspecified mood [affective] disorder
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
0
2
0
All
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders
Notes: No one received a diagnosis of either F32.3 Severe depressive episode with psychotic
symptoms or F33.3 Recurrent depressive disorder, current episode severe with psychotic
symptoms.
Fourteen patients were diagnosed as psychotic by both CAP and GenP units, providing a total of 76
diagnoses for 62 patients.
97
INCIDENCE AND CAUSES OF DEATH BY THE END

OF THE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD
Three of the 48 patients (6.3 %) who were diagnosed with schizophrenia (one with F21:
Schizotypal disorder and two with F23: Acute and transient psychotic disorders) had died
by the end of the follow-up period, two by suicide and one from a ruptured cerebral
aneurysm. This incidence was similar to that among the patients without a diagnosis of
schizophrenia.
COMPARISON OF THE PATIENTS WHO WERE AND WERE NOT GIVEN

AN ICD-10 DIAGNOSIS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND/OR PSYCHOTIC
MOOD [AFFECTIVE] DISORDER IN CONNECTION WITH CAP CARE
Individuals diagnosed as psychotic in connection with CAP care were older upon initial
admission to this care than those without such a diagnosis (p<0.001 according to the Pearson
Chi-Square two-sided test). Furthermore, those with such a diagnosis were more often in need
of inpatient CAP care (46.8% versus 19.2%; p<0.001, Pearson Chi-Square two-sided test);
were more often admitted to CAP care primarily for symptoms of anxiety (23.0% versus
12.6%; p = 0.019, Pearson Chi-Square two-sided test); and more often exhibited
confusion/disorientation in connection with their initial examination (21.6% versus 0.7%;
p<0.001, Pearson Chi-Square two-sided test). Moreover, all of the patients with a CAP
diagnosis of psychosis required continued care in GenP, compared to one-third of those
without such a diagnosis.
AGE UPON INITIAL DIAGNOSIS OF PSYCHOSIS, INCLUDING

A COMPARISON BETWEEN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
AND PSYCHOTIC MOOD DISORDER
The mean age at the time of initial diagnosis of psychosis in the patient group was 21.4
years (range 1341, SD 6.4) and the corresponding median value was 18.0 years. A majority
of these (27 = 44%) were diagnosed between the age of 13 and 17, 17 (27%) between 18 and
25 years of age, 10 (16%) between the ages of 26 and 30 and the remaining 8 (13%) were
older at this point in time.
A third of those diagnosed as psychotic (21 patients) received this diagnosis in
connection with CAP (Table 7) and these patients usually demonstrated more pronounced
symptoms. More girls (69.7%) than boys (44.8%) exhibited early onset but this difference
was barely statistically significant (p=0.048, Pearson Chi-Square two-sided).
Finally, the 48 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia were significantly younger
(mean age 20.3 years; SD 5.2) at the time of the initial diagnosis of psychosis than were the
12 patients with psychotic mood disorders (mean age 26.8 years; SD 8.3) (p-value: 0.0183,
Pearson Chi-Square two-sided test).
98
Ulf Engqvist
Table 7. ICD-10 classification of patients in connection
with the initial definitive diagnosis of psychosis
Diagnosis according to ICD-10, Chapter
V
Group I
CAP diagnosis of
psychosis
Group II
GenP diagnosis of
psychosis, with
certain signs of
this condition
noted in the CAP
record
Group III
GenP diagnosis of
psychosis with no
signs of this condition
at all noted in the
CAP record
Sub-category
total (n = 21)
n
Percentage
of total
16
76.2
total (n = 15)
n
Percentage
of total
13
86.7
4.8
46.7
total (n = 26)
n
Percentage
of total
73.1
19
19.2
5
F21 Schizotypal disorder
14.3
13.3
F23 Acute and transient psychotic

disorders
F25 Schizoaffective disorders
12
0
2
2
F29 Unspecified non-organic psychosis
Mood [affective] disorders
23.8
F30 Manic episode
F31 Bipolar affective disorder
F 39 Unspecified mood [affective]

disorder
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional

disorders
F20 Schizophrenia
57.1
13.3
3.8
26.9
7
13.3
15.4
13.3
2
7
7.7
19.0
4.8
13.3
26.9
23.1
3.8
THE CONTINUITY IN DIAGNOSES BETWEEN

CAP AND GENP CARE
Of the 531 former CAP patients later admitted to GenP care in adulthood, (38% of the
total study population), 20% received a diagnosis within the same ICD-10 category in
connection with both types of care, with diagnosis of psychosis at a younger age exhibiting
the largest degree of continuity. Thus, of the 27 individuals given such a diagnosis prior to the
age of 18, only two were diagnosed differently as adults.
One of these received an unspecified diagnosis of anxiety disorder as an adult; while the
other, who had been treated for an acute episodic psychosis as an adolescent, was later
diagnosed as experiencing some variety of autism. Of the 21 patients given a diagnosis of
psychosis in connection with CAP care, 19 had a psychosis diagnosis in both settings. 12
were placed in the same sub-category of F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional
disorders and one in the same sub-category of F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders at both
time-points.
Three patients with a CAP diagnosis in the sub-category of F20-29: Schizophrenia,
schizotypal and delusional disorders were later categorized as F30-39: Psychotic mood
disorders in adulthood. In contrast, three individuals treated during adolescence for F30-39:
Psychotic mood disorders were later categorized in the sub-category of F20-29:
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders.
99
Table 8. CAP diagnoses for patients who received a diagnosis

of psychosis in connection with GenP care, n = 41
Diagnosis according to ICD 10
All
F90-F98 Behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually
occurring in childhood and adolescence
F40-F48 Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders
Z00-Z99 Factors influencing health status and contact with health
services
F30-39 Mood [affective] disorders (non-psychotic)
F70-F79 Mental retardation
X60-X84 Intentional self-harm
F10-F19 Mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive
substance use
F50-F59 Behavioral syndromes associated with physiological
disturbances and physical factors
F80-F89 Disorders of psychological development
Number
Percentage
15
36.6
8
6
19.5
14.6
3
3
3
1
7.3
7.3
7.3
2.4
2.4
2.4
DIFFERENCES IN DIAGNOSES OF PSYCHOSIS

BETWEEN CAP AND GENP CARE
The CAP diagnoses for those 41 patients who were later placed in the categories F2029: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders and/or F30-39: Psychotic mood
disorders in connection with GenP care are documented in Table 8. Most of these
individuals (71%) were treated for problems related to the categories F90-F98: Behavioral
and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence, F40F48: Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders or Z00-Z99: Factors influencing
health status and contact with health services. In addition, three were treated for mental
retardation and another three for self-harming behavior. These patients received their GenP
diagnoses at a mean age of 24.0 years (SD 6.35), 19 within 5 years of completion of CAP
care, 6 within 6-10 years, 9 within 11-15 years and 7 patients longer than 15 years following
discharge from CAP care.
INFORMATION ON EARLY SIGNS OF PSYCHOSIS

Of the three different groups of patients that could be discerned, the first and most
distinct (Group I) included the 21 (34%) who exhibited signs and symptoms of psychosis in
connection with CAP care and, consequently, received their first definitive diagnosis of
psychosis as children. Among this group, 14 demonstrated obvious symptoms of a disorder at
their initial contact with CAP care-givers, whereas the diagnosis for the 7 others was
established only after an observation period of 1-4 years. Accordingly, the mean period of
time that elapsed from first admission to CAP care until definitive diagnosis of a psychosis
was 2.0 years, (SD 3.6).
100
Ulf Engqvist
Table 9. Time period elapsed between completion of CAP care and the first
definitive diagnosis of psychosis for patients who received such
a diagnosis only in connection with GenP care
Signs, symptoms, problems,

illness
Signs of psychosis noted, all

Positive symptoms
Cognitive change in
attention/concentration
Emotional disturbance
Negative symptoms
Behavioral change
Motor/psychical changes
General psychopathology
Time elapsed between completion of CAP care and the initial

diagnosis of psychosis
2 years
3-4
5-6
7-10
11-15
16-23
or less
years
years
years
years
years
(n= 13)
(n= 6)
(n= 1)
(n= 5)
(n= 9)
(n=7)
8
2
0
4
1
0
7
1
0
3
1
0
4
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
5
5
10
0
0
2
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
2
0
0
1
0
6
0
0
0
0
5
Total
n= 41
15
12
6
2
2
12
6
26
A second group (Group II) of 15 patients (24%) also showed possible signs of psychosis
during their CAP care, but were first diagnosed with such a disorder in connection with GenP
care, mostly at a relatively young age.
Their diagnoses were established at a mean of 6.0 years, (SD 5.8) following first
admission to CAP care (Table 9, p= 0.0254 compared to Group I; Pearson Chi-Square twosided test). The CAP records for the third group (Group. III) of 26 patients (42%) contained
no notation of signs of psychosis and their definitive diagnosis of this disorder was made
following completion of the CAP care.
For these patients, the period from first admission to CAP to first diagnosed onset of
psychosis was even longer, mean 12.4 years, SD 7.9 (Table 4; p<0.001 compared to Group I
and p=0.0055 compared to Group II, Pearson Chi-square two-sided test). During CAP care,
most of this group exhibited unspecific psychopathology, such as behavioral and emotional
problems or problems with relationships. Patients placed in the ICD-10 category F20-29:
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders demonstrated more symptoms of
psychosis at an earlier age than did those classified as F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders
(p-value: 0.0187 Pearson Chi-square two-sided test).
CAUSES FOR ADMISSION OF THE PATIENTS

IN GROUPS I AND II TO CAP CARE
The causes for admission of the 36 patients in Groups I and II, who showed signs of
psychosis during their CAP care were as follows: confusion or changes in personality [12];
free-floating anxiety [7]; problems with relationships [4]; behavioral disorder [3]; somatic
problems and eating disorders [3]; depression [3]; suicidal [1]; mental retardation and
developmental problems [1]; pathological reaction to stress [1]; and request from a physician
101
for an assessment [1]. The symptoms most obviously related to a diagnosis of schizophrenia
of some form were confusion or changes in personality (p<0.001) and free-floating anxiety
(p=0.020).
CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR
Changes in behavior e.g., (social isolation, refusal to go to school, loneliness and/or
general odd behavior) were the most frequent first signs/symptoms described in the CAP
records of the individuals in Groups I and II who eventually received a F20-29 diagnosis, in
connection either with CAP (Group I) or GenP care (Group II). Thirty of these 36 patients
(83%) showed such behavioral changes and there was no statistically significant difference
between the two groups.
POSITIVE SYMPTOMS
Signs and symptoms related to schizophrenia were present in 75% of these patients and
consisted of: unusual thoughts; bizarre ideas, perceptual abnormalities (such as fear of being
poisoned, confusion and suspiciousness) and disorganized speech. Again, there was no
significant difference in this respect between Groups I and II.
MOTOR/PSYCHICAL CHANGES
Both groups contained individuals diagnosed as F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and
delusional disorders and F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders, motor/psychical changes.
Signs and symptoms such as motor restlessness, rituals and poor sleep were present in
44% of these patients and equally common among both groups.
Cognitive Change in Attention/Concentration

Concentration difficulties and attention deficits, problems with selective attention and
forming thoughts, difficulties in comprehension and memory problems were observed in 25%
of these cases, somewhat (although not significantly) more often among those classified as
schizophrenic. Once again, no difference was found between the groups.
Emotional Disturbance
31% of the patients in groups I and G II demonstrated impaired emotional functioning or
alterations in affect. These features were more frequent among those with psychotic mood
disorder and/or belonging to group I, but in neither case were these differences statistically
significant.
102
Ulf Engqvist
Negative Symptoms
Tiredness, listlessness and other negative symptoms were present in 19% of the cases in
both Groups I and II, only among those classified as schizophrenic.
General Psychopathology
The CAP hospital records 67% of those diagnosed with psychotic mood disorders and
60% of those with schizophrenia noted general psychopathology. In 19 of the 36 CAP files
for the two groups with early signs (I and II), the symptoms most frequently noted were
depression (11 cases), anxiety [8], suicidal intent and self-harm [6] and mania (5). One
individual exhibited symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder and another, mood swings.
Additional Information, Signs, Symptoms and Problems

A variety of additional information concerning the patients in Groups I and II was present
in their records, e.g., descriptions of interpersonal difficulties (14 cases), difficulties in
relationships with peers [9], stressful life events [12], physical illness [12], a family history of
psychosis [7] or of other psychiatric disorder or alcohol abuse in a close relative [9]; impaired
intelligence [4], low socioeconomic status [3], parents who emigrated to Sweden from
another country [3], birth following a complicated pregnancy and/or delivery [3] and a history
of neglect/child abuse [2].
Table 10. Comparison of a subgroup of outpatients who were
followed-up for a full 20-year period with an earlier
longitudinal study in Stockholm [14]
The earlier Stockholm
study
(n=2.164)
Number
Percentage
Males
1,417
65.5
Females
747
34.5
Age at the end of the follow up period
20-31.5 years
1415
65.4
Older than 31.5 years
749
34.6
Schizophrenia and or
30
1.39
bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
21
0.97
Bipolar disorder
9
0.42
The subgroup of the

present patients
(n=608)
Number Percentage
325
53.5
283
46.5
p-value*
p < 0.001
p < 0.001
236
372
17
38.8
61.2
2.80
p < 0.001
p < 0.001
n.s.
11
6
1.81
0.99
n.s.
n.s.
Note: * Fisher Exact Analysis: Two-sided p-values for p(O>=E|O<=E) (the sum of small ps), n.s. = not
significant
103
COMPARISON TO AN EARLIER LONGITUDINAL

STUDY IN SWEDEN
An earlier 20-year prospective follow-up study of 2,164 outpatients (1,417 males and 747
females) discharged from the Stockholm Municipal Child Guidance Clinics in 1953, 1954,
and 1955 [36] was compared to a sub-group of the study group who had been followed-up for
a full 20-year period (325 males and 283 females) with respect to the variables described in
Table 10.
The two groups differed with respect to gender and age distribution, since a larger
proportion of pre-school and school boys were included in the Stockholm study.
Although the present Jmtland group was older on the averages, there were no
differences in the frequency of diagnoses in the categories of schizophrenia and psychotic
mood disorders. In both groups, the number of patients receiving a diagnosis of psychosis
was small. Only 9 individuals in the Stockholm and 6 individuals in the Jmtland groups,
respectively, were recognized as suffering from a bipolar disorder during a 20-year period of
CAP and/or GenP care. Most of the subjects with a diagnosis of psychosis were inpatients.
REFLECTIONS ON THE FINDINGS

As described in the Introduction, the present longitudinal prospective study of CAP
patients given a diagnosis of schizophrenia and/or of psychotic mood (affective) disorder
either in connection with CAP or later GenP care and followed-up for 12 -28 years after
completion of CAP care, was designed to answer a number of specific questions.
The findings can be summarized as follows: 62 of the 1,400 CAP patients (36 females
and 26 males) had received an ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia (48 patients = 3.4% of the
total population) and/or psychotic mood disorders (14=1%) by the end of the follow-up
period. The overall estimated incidence of first-episode psychosis per 10,000 person-years
was 17.1. For patients 15-29 years of age, this incidence was lower for males (11.6 versus
16.7) but higher for females (14.2 versus 8.1) than in a study conducted in Australia by
Amminger and colleagues [87].
No such gender difference was observed among the 1,338 patients who had not received
a diagnosis of psychosis. Three of the 62 patients (4.8%) diagnosed with schizophrenia or
mood disorders had died by the end of the follow-up period, two by suicide and one from
somatic illness. The corresponding death rate among those without such a diagnosis was
similar (2.6%).
The answers to the questions we posed were as follows:
At what age was the diagnosis of psychosis made?
The mean age of these patients was 21.4 years (range 1341 years), with 27 (44%)
between 13 and 17, 17 (27%) 18-25 and 18 (29%) older than 25 years of age. No other
clinical services for psychotic patients in this age range are provided in the geographical area.
Females demonstrated an early onset more often than the males. It is known that a different
104
Ulf Engqvist
approach may be required for the early detection and treatment of patients with early-onset
psychosis who are more likely to present clinical characteristics associated with a poorer
outcome [88-89].
Was this diagnosis later changed and, if so, in what manner
Only two of the individuals diagnosed as psychotic before the age of 18 years in
connection with CAP care did not receive a diagnosis in the category of schizophrenia or
psychotic mood disorders as adults. One of them was later diagnosed with an unspecified of
anxiety disorder and the other, who was treated for an acute episodic psychosis during
adolescence, received a diagnosis in the area of autism. In 13 cases of the CAP, diagnoses
were later altered in connection with GenP to other diagnoses within the same categories: 12
were placed in the same sub-category of F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional
disorders and one in the same sub-category of F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders at both
time-points. Three patients with a CAP diagnosis in the sub-category of F20-29:
Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders were later categorized as F30-39:
Psychotic mood disorders in adulthood. In contrast, three individuals treated during
adolescence for F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders were later categorized in the subcategory of F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders.
In their 42-year follow-up of 38 patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia and 38
patients with other diagnoses, Remschmidt and co/workers (90) also describe re-diagnosing
former CAP patients as adults. Although their findings do indicate diagnostic stability over
time in the case of 91% of their patients, 4 of the individuals (11%) with CAP diagnosis of
childhood-onset schizophrenia were given another diagnosis as adults.
Schwartz and colleagues (91) propose that such changes in diagnosis, particularly to
schizophrenia, rested primarily on the evolution of the illness [91]. Both of these investigators
and Schimmelmann and co/workers [92] have established the need for a longitudinally-based
diagnostic process for determining incidences, especially with respect to schizophreniform
and bipolar disorders.
Which early signs of disorder were noted prior or upon admission to CAP care?
Changes in behavior, including social isolation, refusal to go to school, loneliness and
odd behavior in general were the initial signs/symptoms most frequently observed prior or
upon admission to CAP-care. However, this was only the case with regards to the category of
schizophrenia. Among the individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychotic mood
disorders, symptoms such as motor restlessness, obsessive rituals and poor sleep were equally
common, being observed in 44% of the cases. Patients in both of these groups frequently
demonstrated anxiety and depression at the time of admission.
Which patients received their diagnosis later in connection with GenP care and how did
this group differ from those diagnosed earlier during CAP care?
The patients given diagnoses of psychoses at an age of 25 years or older exhibited
unspecific psychopathological symptoms, but no signs of a possible psychotic disorder during
their CAP care. However, the shorter the period that elapsed from the completion of CAP
care until admission to GenP care, the more frequently symptoms of a possible psychotic
disorder were observed at the CAP unit, although these were not specific enough for a
diagnosis to be established.
105
None of these patients were diagnosed with childhood-onset schizophrenia , which by

definition, debuts before the age 13 [93]. As described by Rapoport and Remschmidt and
their colleagues [23, 94-97], this rare disorder is most probably due to progressive brain
degeneration and, it therefore is not surprising that none of the 1,400 CAP patients were
afflicted. The scientific literature contains few reports of investigations outside of
Scandinavia similar to the present one. In the Nordic countries, findings similar to my own
have been reported by Dahl [98] who conducted a 20-year follow-up study of a child
psychiatric clientele with special regard to the diagnosis of psychosis; by Pedersen and
Aarkrog [99-100] who performed a 10- and 20-year follow-up study of child psychiatric
patients, and by Strmgren [101] in 1940, when he discussed Episodic Psychosis in
Adolescence. Furthermore, Tyano and co-workers [102] made similar observations
concerning Transient adolescent psychosis upon monitoring the stability of diagnosis in a
cohort of Israeli CAP patients. As discussed above, the current results can be compared to
those from a similar 20-year follow-up of CAP patients from the 1950s to the 1970s.
METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
One disadvantage is that the population of Jmtland County cannot be considered to be
representative of the entire Swedish population in all respects. Although comparison with an
earlier longitudinal study of outpatients in Stockholm (see above) as well as an unpublished
comparison with CAP inpatients in the Stockholm metropolitan area reveals few significant
differences, it should be kept in mind that the study group here came from a sparsely
populated region. Furthermore, my primary information was obtained from psychiatric
hospital records, which are, in many respects, not scientifically rigorous instruments of
examination. Although the quality of these records was considered to be satisfactory, they
were assessed employing a protocol chosen for the present study and, moreover, also contain
information provided by parents, school personnel and other authorities. No concurrent
validation of the CAARMS extracted from these files employing personal interviews was
carried out. The CAARMS instrument, which is basically a manual for personal interview is
not intended for interpretation of hospital records. This lack of validation limits the ability to
draw conclusions from the signs noted. In addition, the patients studied here are still relatively
young. At the end of the follow-up period, the youngest was 27 years old and had been
observed for 12 years, while the oldest was 45 and had been under observation for 28 years. It
thus appears likely that additional information of value will emerge from future GenP care
concerning the categories F20-29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders
and/or F30-39: Psychotic mood disorders.
CONCLUSION
In summary, it appears that based on empirical findings during the past 70 years,
psychotic disorders have been and continue to be relatively uncommon among patients
admitted to CAP care in Sweden. The typical male Swedish CAP patient is a 10-year-old
troublesome boy, while the typical female patient is a 14-year-old depressed girl.
106
Ulf Engqvist
Both come from families with psychosocial difficulties; have problems at school and risk
later delinquency and/or alcohol and/or drug abuse. However, the rate of schizophrenia
observed in the group of CAP patients (3,4%) is threefold higher than in the general
population, indicating that these individuals run an increased risk for developing severe
chronic psychosis and that use of a specific treatment model for early psychosis among
children and adolescents might be valuable [87].
The present empirical findings indicate that psychotic disorders debut during the teenage
years and, moreover, that disorders in the ICD category F20-F29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal
and delusional disorders are more common than those classified as F30-39: Psychotic mood
disorders. Clearly, psychotic mood disorders are rare among children and adolescents.
Individuals experiencing early onset of disorders categorized as F20-F29: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders may already show typical symptoms upon
admission to CAP care at an age of 13-17. In contrast, late-onset disorders appear to be very
difficult to anticipate on the basis of information gathered in connection with CAP care. In
certain latter cases, the circumstances necessitating CAP care differed from those leading to
later admission to GenP care, when symptoms of a psychotic disorder were apparent.
Finally, a handful of the cases appear to have experienced an episodic psychotic disorder
during adolescence, as also described previously by Strmgren [101] and more recently by
Tyano [102]. For certain subjects, in these other two studies, the symptoms described may
reflect the first episode of a psychiatric disorder, usually in the category of F20-29, which
returns with full force later in life, whereas in other cases, the psychosis appears to be
episodic.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Professor Per-Anders Rydelius at Karolinska Institutet in his role as supervisor has been
very helpful in shaping the design, data collection and compilation of data.
The CAP and GenP units at stersund Hospital and the Centre for Epidemiology at the
National Board of Health and Welfare were all very helpful in supplying me with data. I also
want to thank Professor Joseph W DePierre at Stockholm University and Laurie Horowitz at
Karolinska Institutet for their skilled help editing the language of the manuscript.
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 5
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND PSYCHOSIS

Theodora Koulenti
and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous*
ABSTRACT
During the last decade there has been an increase of interest in the study of the
plausible link between childhood trauma and psychotic symptomatology.
A considerable body of empirical evidence revealed that many patients with
psychotic symptoms have indeed experienced childhood traumas but because of
methodological weaknesses no causal relationship was managed to be established. These
studies however despite their methodological weaknesses gave rise to the argument that
psychotic symptomatology cannot solitarily be viewed as purely in the terms of genetic
and biological aetiologies.
Over the last decades a series of systematic reviews of previous studies, gave rise to
new, large-scale studies that aim to clarify previous evidence, in a more accurate and
methodology-consistent manner. Even though the new attempts brought to the light new
empirical evidence and a stronger relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis
has been established, we still need a much more detailed understanding of the underlying
mechanisms which connect the two.
INTRODUCTION
Psychotic symptoms have been considered to emerge as a result of trauma or negative
impact of negative life events and aversive environmental conditions. This suggestion was
initiated from the high rates of childhood sexual abuse and other traumas among patients with
psychotic symptoms [1]. Investigating whether childhood trauma is related to mental health
problems in adulthood has crucial clinical implications in terms of the accuracy of
formulations and the comprehensiveness of treatment planning [2].
*
114
Theodora Koulenti and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous
The term childhood trauma refers to a range of negative life experiences, such as
sexual, physical and emotional abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect [3].
Childhood abuse has been linked, over the years to various adult psychiatric disorders,
including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorders, sexual dysfunction, dissociation and suicidality
[3].
However, the link between childhood trauma and psychotic disorders was, until recently,
overlooked in favour of the dominant biogenetic factor [3]. Potential social causes of
psychosis, have been neglected in favour of the advancement of genetic and biological
etiologies [3]. The possible reasons for this selective attention and the denial of possible
social and environmental factors involve a firm devotion to a rather simplistic biological
paradigm, inappropriate fear of being accused of family blaming, avoidance of explicit
traumatisation on the part of the clinicians and the researchers and issues of re-diagnosing
from psychosis to PTSD once abuse is discovered [4].
Nevertheless recent empirical evidence asserts that psychotic experiences in disorders,
such as schizophrenia, cannot be seen detached from the normal functioning of the individual,
therefore the role of adverse environmental and social factors need be taken into account [5].
A number of case studies of psychiatric inpatients and outpatients, who were diagnosed with
a psychotic condition, suggest that the majority of them reported that they had experienced
childhood traumas, such as sexual or physical abuse. This finding abetted researchers to
search deeper whether this relationship is causal [4].
Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that lifetime prevalence of PTSD is
significantly higher in patients with severe mental illnesses than in the general population,
allowing the assertion that a causal relationship could exist [1]. Child abuse and child sexual
abuse seem to be consistently related to scales indicative of psychosis, and particularly
schizophrenia. Studies, in clinical settings, have revealed that among child psychiatric
patients, 77 % of those who experience child sexual abuse were diagnosed with psychotic
symptoms. Women inpatients, diagnosed as schizophrenic, 60% had suffered child sexual
abuse or incest [2].
It wasnt until recently that the crucial relationship between childhood trauma and
psychosis started being recognized in the circles of scientific literature. During the last few
years there have been a number of debates among clinicians and researchers suggesting that
child abuse can be a cause for psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia [6]. Research
interest has started to be directed on the possible relationship between childhood trauma and
the risk of developing psychotic experiences later in life [7]. Researchers raised the question
whether there can be a causal relationship between the two, something which could create
considerable implications for the professional practice of psychologists and treatment
procedures [3].
A recent debate at the Maudsley Institute of Psychiatry in London proposed the motion
that child abuse could be a cause for schizophrenia [8]. Later on, the British Medical Journal
published the work of David Kingdon, underlining the failure of antipsychotic medication to
hit the problem of psychosis to its root and suggesting the revolving to psychological factors
in interventions, such as childhood physical and mental trauma [8]. Moreover, Acta
Psychiatrica Scandinavica, published in 2005 the first full literature review of a big number of
studies, suggesting a significant causal relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis
[4].
115
INITIAL RESEARCH AND SOCIAL VIEWS

OF TRAUMA AND PSYCHOSIS
In the last few years there is an increased concern about the issue of over-medicalization
for treatment of mental disorders, perhaps because of financial incentives, and the devaluation
of psychotherapy and psychosocial treatments [6]. This concern gave the motive to
researchers to examine whether childhood trauma can be a causal factor to the onset of
psychotic disorders, by reviewing the historical context in which the problem was developed
and, later on, by seeking new empirical evidence examining a potential relationship between
the two [6].
During the decade of 1970, long before being able to investigate the relationship between
childhood trauma and psychosis, there was a need, in the social context, to provide evidence
that child abuse was existent, common and had devastating consequences for the victims [6].
This point of view that seemed to be denied by society at the time and any attempts for
relevant publications were contradicted, by the excuse that this scenario was incredibly rare.
However, in the passing of time, the responses started changing, by admitting that abuse did
exist but its consequences were minimal [6].
After that the view that long term physical and psychological problems were associated
with childhood trauma started being more widespread. At the same time though, there was a
tendency of blaming the victims for what they had experienced by being provocative,
prematurely sexual and partly guilty for their abuse [9]. Blame kept shifting from the victims
to the mothers and from there to the therapists who were accused for planting false memories
to the patients minds. After this long process of changing views and debates, a few years
ago, a general consensus was established, suggesting that child abuse is clearly related to
psychiatric illness and specifically depression, anxiety, substance misuse, eating disorders,
sexual dysfunction, personality disorders and PTSD [10]. However, there was still no
acceptance of the relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis, since psychiatry
insisted in the underlying role of genetic and biological vulnerability [11].
There were a few studies at the time which attempted to provide empirical evidence about
the plausible link between childhood trauma and psychosis [1]. In 1984, an in-depth study of
188 individuals in a psychiatric hospital has revealed that more than 50% of the women
residents were physically or sexually abused in previous years [12]. Three years later, in a
study of 66 women inpatients, there was an attempt to correlate childhood abuse experiences
with severity of adult psychiatric symptoms. It was found that 72% had histories of sexual or
physical abuse and 59% had histories of sexual or physical abuse in childhood [13]. In 1989,
an influential study conducted by Romme and Escher, found that 70% of voice hearers
developed their hallucinations after experiencing a traumatic event [14]. It was speculated
that hallucinations could be a coping process for dealing with traumas of the past [14].
Another study, revealed interesting findings concerning patients with borderline disorder,
after being in depth interviewed: 81% of patients gave histories of major childhood trauma
experiences, 68% had been sexually abused, 71% physically abused and 62% witnessed
serious domestic violence. These results demonstrated a strong association between a
diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and a history of abuse in childhood [15].
116
DEVELOPMENT IN TRAUMA THEORY AND CURRENT

RESEARCH FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND PSYCHOSIS
During the decade of 1990s, even though there were many attempts to establish,
scientifically, a relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis, they suffered from
methodological inconsistencies and lack or resources [16]. For example, Honig et al (1998),
compared, in their study, the form and content of chronic auditory hallucinations in patients
with schizophrenia, patients with dissociative disorder and non-patient voice hearers. The
study revealed that, in most patients, the onset of auditory hallucinations preceded a traumatic
event or an event which triggered the memory of an earlier trauma [16]. However, in this
study, the sample was not random and issues of lack of generalization were raised [1].
Moreover, in the study of the first 89 indivuiduals referred to an intensive case management
psychiatric program, revealed substantial previously undetected physical and sexual abuse.
However, none of those patients had even been asked about their abuse histories [17]. The
same study reveals that, at the time, childhood trauma was a factor which seemed to be
invisible within adult mental health services. Most of the times there was absence of routine
inquiry about abuse history, abused histories were often ignored, often leading to
misdiagnosis or mistreatment [17].
More recently, Read et al (2003) reviewed 200 case notes of community patients. It was
found that those who had experienced sexual abuse, either as children or adults, were more
likely to experience two, or more, characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia [2]. This finding
suggests that many individuals with psychotic symptoms may have endured trauma
experiences prior to the onset of psychosis, even though the measurement of sexual abuse rely
on self-reports and case notes [1]. Moreover, this study also revealed that childhood abuse
predicted hallucinations in adult life. More specifically, patients who were physically abused
as children were twice as likely to experience hallucinations. Those who were sexually
abused were three times as likely to experience hallucinations. Moreover, auditory
hallucinations, in patients, were more strongly associated with child abuse [2]. Consequently,
even though there are methodological inconsistencies characterizing research attempts, in this
period, they formed the beginning for a new perspective and gave the rise to more consistent
and recent major studies on the subject [6]. Particularly, there was a focus on the functions of
psychotic symptoms: it was found that there was a complex relationship between dissociation
and psychotic symptoms, delusions often formed patients attempts to make sense of severe
trauma symptoms, through flashbacks, and there was often dissociation of regulating negative
affect of abuse memories [2].
Furthermore, research evidence of the last decade, has shown that more than 2/3 of
patients initially hospitalized for psychosis, experienced at least one traumatic event in their
lifetime, almost were exposed to life-threatening trauma and 1/3 has been victimized in
childhood [18]. The same study suggests that the magnitude of the trauma history in
childhood, such as rape, sexual molestation, sexual and physical abuse, also increases the
vulnerability to patients with psychosis, placing them in high risk for PTSD [18].
A number of significant reviews of the literature, examining the possible causal
relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis, have been published in the last few
years. A review by Read et al (2005) summarized research studies and examined review
117
papers on psychiatric inpatients and outpatients who were diagnosed with a psychotic
condition [4]. Even though it is generally believed that the rates in this review are generally
underestimated because child abuse is generally underreported, still the majority of the
sample reported experiencing either physical or sexual abuse [4]. Even though this review
paper suggested a relationship between childhood trauma and abuse, methodological issues
did not allow deciding whether this relationship is causal or not [3]. The mass of the evidence
studied in this review was from studies using cross-sectional designs or uncontrolled group
comparisons. This allows the authors to provide useful estimates of the prevalence of
childhood trauma in clinical populations but not adequate to determine whether the
relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis is causal [18].
A big general population study, conducted by Bebbington and colleagues (2004), gave
rise to new empirical evidence. The sample was assessed for psychiatric disorders and then
asked whether they had experienced any kind of victimization experiences, as defined by
the researchers: sexual abuse, bullying, running away from home, time in local authority care,
time in childhood institution, expulsion from school, homelessness, violence at work, serious
injury or assault [19]. The study suggested that there was a significant relationship between
the trauma and psychosis, with the strongest association being sexual abuse [19]. However, a
limitation of this study was the fact that the participants were not required to provide
information about the timing or the severity of their adverse life events, living the possibility
that some of those abusive experiences may have occurred in adult life [3].
Another big sample study in Holland, gave a new perspective concerning the methods
used. The sample was interviewed about their childhood experiences, while being psychosis
free and after three years they were reassessed [20]. Results revealed that people who had
been abused were much more likely to develop psychosis, than those who were not, during
the study period, even after controlling the genetic predisposition factor [20].
However, another research study conducted at about the same time, gave a different
perspective than the previous ones. The sample involved individuals who experienced severe
abuse and they were followed up as adults [21]. They were then compared with a general
population group. The results did not show a significant relationship between childhood
trauma and schizophrenia, contradicting previous empirical evidence. However, concerns of
accuracy of the samples self-reports, the methodology and the sample were raised [21].
Finally, another research study, conducted by Hammersley et al (2007), tested the risk of
experiencing adult hallucinations, a common psychotic symptom, if experiencing a childhood
trauma [6]. Childhood traumas, in this case, involved physical, sexual and emotional abuse,
neglect, and certain adverse childhood events, such as witnessing the mothers abuse. The
results suggested that those who had experienced the greatest number of types of childhood
trauma were 4.7 times likely to have experienced hallucinations [6].
THE BALANCE OF EVIDENCE

In the years following the review of Read et al (2005), there was an attempt to balance
and clarify the evidence, related to childhood trauma and psychosis, through new, large-scale
research studies [3].
118
One study conducted by Spauwen et al (2006), aimed in examining associations between

self-reported psychological trauma and psychotic symptoms as a function of psychosis
proneness [22]. The sample involved 2524 adolescents and young adults who provided self
reports on psychological trauma and were interviewed to assess any potential presence of
psychotic symptoms. Those who reported psychotic trauma were 2.6 times more likely to
experience psychotic symptoms at follow up, with the higher risk being those who had
experienced sexual abuse [22].
Even when possible interfering factors such as gender, socioeconomic status, cannabis
use, mental disorders and urbanicity were controlled, still the association between trauma and
psychotic symptoms was obvious. The connection between the two increased in a positively
graded fashion with the number of traumatic events [22]. Even though this paper establishes a
close link between trauma and psychotic symptoms, one limitation was the fact that the
measure of the trauma utilized in this study, was basic and the participants were not asked to
provide detailed information concerning the timing, severity or duration of the trauma [3].
There is a possibility that traumatized participants could be included in the non-traumatized
group, reducing, in this way, the prospective of the study to assess the strength of the
association between trauma and psychotic symptoms [3].
The results of the study of Spauwen et al (2006) were also sustained by another general
population study conducted at about the same time. The sample involved 1290 adolescents
[23]. After controlling factors, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status, results showed
that sexual trauma and bullying were associated with non-clinical psychotic experiences. The
frequency of the trauma was positively related to psychotic experiences, suggesting causality
between bullying and sexual trauma and psychotic symptoms [23]. The results of this study
reveal similarity with the results of Spauwen et al (2006), with the authors suggesting that the
association between victimization in childhood and non-clinical psychotic experiences in
adolescence may imply risk for psychotic disorders later in life [3].
Furthermore, another research study which used data from the National Comorbidity
Survey and the British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, also attempted to study the effect of
cumulative traumatic experiences on psychosis [24]. The results of this study indicated that
experiences, of two or more types of trauma, significantly predicted psychosis and a causal
relationship between the two was evident [24].
As with previous studies, this research study suggested that multiple trauma exposure
increases the risk for developing psychosis. For the National Comorbidity Survey sample the
results showed that sexual molestation and physical abuse were stronger predictors of
psychosis, while the sample results from the British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, sexual
abuse was more predictive of psychosis [24]. Moreover, in another research paper of the same
group, using again data from the National Comorbidity Survey, also demonstrated that
childhood molestation and rape, before the age of 16, were predictive of visual, auditory and
tactile hallucinations [24].
Recently, research evidence of a large scale study, 10641 adult respondents from the
Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, added to previous research
projects that endorsement of any delusional experience was significantly more likely in those
who experienced traumatic events during their lifespan [25].
Research evidence was consistent with previous studies, revealing that there was a strong
link between traumatic experiences associated with childhood, such as sexual molestation and
rape, and delusional experiences [25].
119
However, one limitation of the specific study was the fact that there were not any time
details concerning the trauma, making it impossible to identify whether the trauma preceded
the delusional experiences or not [3].
CONCLUSION
Since the major review of 2005 and the large-scale studies followed in the next years,
scientific evidence accumulated that established a systematic link between numbers of
traumas experienced and being at risk for psychotic symptoms [3]. There is also evidence for
predictiveness of child abuse on hallucinations specifically. Most evidence suggests that
childhood trauma, and more strongly sexual abuse is a strong predictor of psychosis, [3].
Despite significant advancements in the field there are still only a small number of welldesigned studies, controlling for possible confounding variables, with large samples [4].
Moreover, another important issue in the studies reviewed, is the reliability of self-report of
abuse, raising concerns about the accuracy of child abuse disclosures by psychiatric patients.
Furthermore, many of the studies conducted so far are either correlational or uncontrolled
group comparisons, telling us little about whether the relationship child abuse and psychosis
is a causal one. Other factors may account for the relationship, such as other adverse events or
circumstances in childhood.
Additionally, another issue is the categorization of symptoms. Certain symptoms which
may be categorized as psychotic by clinicians, before the identification of the trauma, may be
re-categorized as non-psychotic when the trauma has been identified (e.g. symptoms of
PTSD) [4]. In this case, the symptom has not changed but the observers perception has
changed, illustrating problems of diagnosis to patients. All these raise the need for future
designs to overcome the limitations [4].
The investigation of the relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis raises a
huge responsibility towards the people who experience psychosis. If scientific literature aims
in contributing to the improvement of therapy and intervention methods, researchers need to
incorporate individuals life experiences to their attempts for investigation [6]. Unless we
start searching for peoples distressing life experiences and make sense of them, instead of
simply trying to suppress the psychotic symptoms with pills, patients will be condemned to
live their lives controlled by medication [6]. By not considering the causal role that childhood
experiences might have on psychosis, it means that professional practice will keep exposing
patients to the unnecessary side effects of neuroleptic medication and denying them the
chance to receive appropriate psychological treatment [7].
The research studies described above, mainly involve schizophrenia spectrum disorders
with common symptoms hallucinations and delusions. However, certain mood disorders, such
as bipolar disorder and unipolar psychotic depression may also have psychotic features.
Nevertheless, there are no systematic investigations of the life experiences of people who
suffer from psychotic mood disorders, something which raises the need for further research
studies in the future [6].
120
To conclude even though there is a huge progress concerning the studying of the
association between childhood trauma and psychosis, there is still need for methodologically
rigorous investigations that will attempt a more detailed understanding of the underlying
mechanisms linking trauma and psychosis.
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during childhood as predictors of hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder,
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Larkin, W. and Read, J. 2008, Childhood Trauma and psychosis: Evidence, pathways,
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Read, J., Van Os, J., Morrison, P. A. and Ross, C.A. 2005, Childhood Trauma,
Psychosis and Schizophrenia: A literature review with theoretical and clinical
implications, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, vol.112, pp. 330-350.
Bentall, R. P. 2006, The Environment and Psychosis, Rethinking the Evidence. In:
Larkin W., Morrison, A.P., editors, Trauma and Psychosis: New Directions for theory
and therapy, London: Routledge, 2006.
Hammersley, P., Read, P., Woodall, S. and Dillon, J. 2008, Childhood Trauma and
Psychosis: The genie is out of the bottle, Journal of Psychological Trauma, vol. 6, no.
2-3.
Read, J. 1997, Child Abuse and Psychosis: A Literature Review and Implications for
Professional Practice, Research and Practice, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 448-456.
Kingdon, D. 2006, Psychological and Social Interventions for Schizophrenia, British
Medical Journal, vol. 333, pp. 212-213.
Armstrong, L. 1996, Rocking the cradle of sexual politics: What happened when women
said incest, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Read, J., Goodman, L., Morrison, A., Ross, C., and Aderhold, V. (2004). Childhood
trauma, loss and stress. In J. Read, L. Mosher, and R. Bentall (Eds.), Models of
madness: Psychological, social and biological approaches to schizophrenia. London:
Routledge.
Read, J., Mosher, L., and Bentall, R. (2004). Models of madness: Psychological, social
and biological Approaches to schizophrenia. London: Routledge.
Carmen, E.H., Rieker, P.P.and Mills, T. 1984, Victims of Violence and Psychiatric
illness, American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 141, pp. 378-383.
Bryer, J.B., Nelson, B., Miller, J. B. and Krol, P. 1987, Childhood Sexual and Physical
Abuse as Factors in Adult Psychiatric Illness, American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 144,
pp. 1426-1430.
Romme, M. and Escher, A., 1989, Hearing Voices, Schizophrenia Bullettin, no. 15, pp.
209-216.
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[15] Herman, J.L., Perry, J.C. and van der Kolk, B.A. 1989, Childhood Trauma in borderline
personality disorder, American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 146, pp. 490-495.
[16] Honig, A., Romme, M. A., Ensink, B. J., Escher, S. D., Pennings, M. H. and deVries.,
M. W. 1998, Auditory Hallucinations: A Comparison between patients, Journal of
Nervous and Mental Disease, no. 186, pp. 646-651.
[17] Rose, M. S., Peabody, G. C. and Stratigeas, B. 1991, Undetected Abuse Among
Intensive Case Management Clients, Hospital Community Psychiatry, vol. 42, pp. 499503.
[18] Neria, Y., Bromet, E. and Sievers, S. 2002, Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder in Psychosis: Findings from a first admission cohort, Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology, vol. 70, no. 1, pp.246-251.
[19] Bebbington, P., Bhugra, D., Brugha, T., Singleton, N., Farrell, M., Jenkins, R., et al.,
2004, Psychosis, victimization and childhood disadvantage: Evidence from the second
British national survey on psychiatric morbidity, British Journal of Psychiatry, 185,
220-226.
[20] Janssen, I., Krabbendam, L., Bak, M., Hanssen, M., Vollebergh, W., de Graaf, R., et al,
2003, Childhood abuse as a risk factor for psychotic experiences, Acta Psychiatrica
Scandinavica, vol. 109, pp. 38-45.
[21] Spataro, J., Mullen, P. E., Burgess, P. M., et al, 2004, Impact of child sexual abuse on
mental health: prospective study in males and females, British Journal of Psychiatry,
vol. 184, pp. 416 -421.
[22] Spauwen, J., Krabbendam, L., Lieb, R., Wittchen, H.U. and Van Os, J., 2006, Impact of
psychological trauma on the development of psychotic symptoms: Relationship with
psychotic proneness, The British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 188, pp. 527-533.
[23] Lataster, T., Van Os, J., Drukker, M., Henquet, C., Feron, F., and Gunther, N. 2006,
Childhood victimization and developmental expression of non-clinical delusional
ideation and hallucinatory experiences, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric
Epidemiology, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 423-428.
[24] Shevlin, M., Dorahy, M. and Adamson. G. 2007, Childhood Traumas and
hallucinations: An analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey, Journal of Psychiatric
Research, vol. 41, pp. 222-228.
[25] Scott, J., Chant, D., Andrews, G., Martin, G. and McGrath, J. 2007, Association
between trauma exposure and delusional experiences in a large community-based
sample, The British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 190, pp. 339-343.

ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 6
STAGES, COURSE AND PROGNOSIS

OF PSYCHOSIS
Theodora Koulenti
and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous*
ABSTRACT
Psychosis usually erupts early during development and can be disabling for life.
Symptoms are more common in young people and the majority of patients remain
symptomatic for their whole lifespan. Identifying psychosis in early stages is of major
importance in terms of treatment.
Recent developments on medication have had positive results on problematic
symptoms; however, unwanted side effects and non-compliance of patients to their
doctors descriptions often contribute to the decrease of recovery odds.
Early stages of psychosis can be very distressing for both the patient and the closed
environment. There is often a delay of time for treatment, after experiencing the first
symptoms of psychosis. The longer this delay is, the poorer the treatment outcomes are,
in terms of symptoms. During the early stages of psychosis, the symptoms are not always
obvious from the beginning.
However, they can begin to develop and increase in number, severity and rate of
recurrence during the 2nd and 3rd phase. Patients may lose touch with reality or their
capacity to function in an organized integrated manner. The continuity among the stages
makes it more difficult to define when a person has slipped to psychosis, however, early
identification and treatment is more likely to reduce the burden of the disease. Relapses
are also common and unfortunately, treatment of subsequent episodes of psychosis is less
pleasing than the first.
Consequently, since the developmental progression is partly based on early
identification and intervention , on timely therapy is therefore essential so that the patient
develops techniques to identify, monitor and reduce possible relapses.
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INTRODUCTION
Psychosis is characterized by delusions and hallucinations and is a common symptom in
people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders and dementia [1]. The
narrowest definition of psychotic is constrained to delusions or outstanding hallucinations,
with the hallucinations occurring in the absence of insight into their pathological nature
(DSM Manual). A broader definition also includes positive symptoms of schizophrenia (i.e.
disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior [2]. Scientists use, in the
psychiatric literature, the term Psychosis Risk Syndrome to describe early signs,
symptoms and disabilities preceding the full onset of the illness. The term is also used to
describe early signs of reversion to people who already have psychosis and are in a remitted
phase [3]. Empirical evidence suggests that psychotic disorders often emerge gradually in a
prodromal period, ranging from several weeks to several years or more [1]. Recent research
studies reveal that, in psychosis, both gene-environment interactions are likely to play a role
[4] and a long duration of untreated psychosis may result in a worse recovery prognosis [1].
Patients suffering from psychotic disorders are often characterized by pronounced deficits on
their functioning, such as cognitive processes, working memory and response inhibition, at all
stages of their illness and therefore treatment procedures must be applied from early signs,
where possible [4].
COURSE AND DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOSIS

Psychotic Disorders, such as schizophrenia, have been observed worldwide. Prevalence
of schizophrenia among adults is often reported to be in the range of 0.5% to 1.5%. Annual
incidences are most often in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 per 10,000, even though birth group
studies suggest some geographic and historical variations in prevalence [2]. Schizophrenia
and psychotic disorder usually erupt early during development and can be disabling for life.
The expression of psychosis is much more common in young people and usually declines
with age [4]. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the
median age at onset for the first psychotic episode of schizophrenia is in the early to mid-20s
for men and in the late 20s for women [2]. Empirical evidence asserts that schizophrenia
affects, average, 1% of any population worldwide and the risk is higher for men. The peak
period for onset in men is 15-25 years of age and 25-35 for women. Onset in the teenage
years is also common [3].
The onset may be unexpected or insidious, but the majority of individuals exhibit some
type of prodromal phase marked by the slow and gradual development of a variety of signs
and symptoms, such as social withdrawal, loss of interest in school or work, deterioration in
hygiene and grooming, unusual behavior and sudden occurrences of anger. Family members
may find this behavior difficult to understand, however, the manifestation of some activephase symptom marks the disturbance as schizophrenia [2]. The age of onset may have both
pathophysiological and predictive implication. Individuals with an early age at onset are more
often male and have a poorer premorbid adjustment, lower educational achievement, more
evidence of brain abnormalities, more prominent negative signs and symptoms, more
evidence of cognitive impairment and a worse outcome. On the contrary, individuals with a
125
later onset are more often female, have less evidence of brain abnormalities or cognitive
impairment and present a better outcome [2].
Schizophrenia is considered to be a serious psychiatric disorder because it disables early
in life and its attendant deficits can last to old age, often for a lifetime [3]. Many studies on
course and outcome of schizophrenia propose that the path to the disorder may be variable,
with some individuals displaying exacerbations and remissions, while others remain
chronically ill. Full remission to complete premorbid functioning is not frequent in this
disorder. Of those who remain ill, some appear to have a comparatively steady course, while
others demonstrate a progressive deterioration associated with severe disability [2].
Even though treatments for schizophrenia have improved to the point that patients have
the ability to live in the community, still, the majority of patients remains symptomatic and
struggle with deficits in self-care, work capacity and interpersonal relationships [3]. Latest
treatment procedures control the positive symptoms of the disorder, such as hallucinations,
delusions, and disorganized thought, speech and behavior but their disruptive capacity is
always a danger. Moreover, experts assert that central nervous system neurobiological
processes, which are responsible for generating psychosis, precede its onset by months or
years and are irreversible by the time of onset. For this reason, identifying psychosis in early
phases is of major importance [3]. In the early stages of the, negative symptoms may be
obvious, appearing primarily as prodromal features, therefore, positive symptoms appear as
well. However, because positive symptoms are particularly responsive to treatment, they
usually diminish, but in many individuals negative symptoms persevere [2].
Even though in the previous decades serious mental health problems seemed to be
untreatable, in the last few years this picture started changing. Researchers started investing in
a more humanitarian and anti-institutionalization way of thinking [3]. They suggested that
there was noteworthy evidence that disorders, such as psychosis, were not necessarily lifelong
and incurable [3]. Numerous studies have indicated a group of factors that are associated with
a better prognosis. These include, good premorbid adjustment, acute onset, later age at onset,
absence of anosognosia (poor insight), being female, precipitating events, associated mood
disturbance, treatment with antipsychotic medication soon after the onset of illness, consistent
medication compliance, brief duration of active-phase symptoms, good interepisode
functioning, minimal residual symptoms, absence of structural brain abnormalities, normal
neurological functioning and no family history of schizophrenia[2].
Even though with new medication problematic symptoms seemed to be partly controlled,
helping in this way patients to function in the broader society, nobody could dispute the
power of unwanted side effects, leading patients to non-compliance with their doctors
prescriptions [3]. Specifically, concerning psychosis, statistics show that 90% who suffer
psychotic first episode will be in remission, at the end of one year of treatment only 1/3 seems
to have a good functional outcome. This happens partly because the recent psychotropic
medication reduce significantly the positive symptoms of the disorder, such as delusions and
hallucinations, but have not helped significantly in controlling the rest sets of symptoms, such
as negative and mood symptoms and cognitive deficits. These unwanted side effects make for
patients medication compliance very difficult, therefore the chances for recovery decrease [3].
126
Furthermore, along the passing of time, there were several debates concerning issues of
reliability and validity of diagnoses or issues of stigmatization of patients and its harm on
their mental health, bringing confusion on whether or not diagnosis of schizophrenia could
be seen as useful if led to accurate predictions of patients positive respond to neuroleptic
medication [4].
THE EARLY STAGES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

AND PSYCHOSIS
The early stage of psychosis is highly distressing for both the individual and family and
friends. It may take a considerable length of time to reach treatment after experiencing the
first symptoms of psychosis. Empirical evidence reveals that treatment fluctuates from 6
months 2 years, while others may experience delays of several years [5]. This delay is
known as DUP (duration of untreated psychosis) and is often during this stage that patients
may experience paranoia, voices, hallucinations or unusual ideas which disrupt their lives.
During this period the risk of self-harm is high and specialist help is needed without further
delays. Research studies concerning the prognosis of patients who experience a longer DUP
has shown that these patients also experience poorer outcomes in terms of symptoms, quality
of life, and social functioning, even 6-12 months after receiving treatment. It is therefore vital
to seek professional help timely [5]. Moreover, DUP has been found to be associated with
longer time until remission, less remission and more psychotic relapse [6]. On the other hand,
early implementation of intensive psychosocial intervention, along with medication, has been
reported to improve the patients social functioning and self-esteem, and therefore have a
better prospect for long-term prognosis [6].
The early stages of schizophrenia or first episode psychosis include a premorbid, a
prodromal phase and a first psychosis stage. The premorbid phase is a period of normality for
people who eventually develop the disorder. Even though deficits exist they are not obvious
or seriously disabling for the individual. However, during the 2nd phase, usually around
pruberty, the psychosis-risk symptoms begin and develop with increasing number, severity
and rate of recurrence [3]. During this phase, a prolonged period of symptoms and increasing
disability occurs before the onset of severe and continual positive psychotic symptoms
become adequate to allow the diagnosis of schizophrenia or first psychosis episode. The
psychosocial harm that is often caused, at that time, is often difficult to reverse [7]. Moreover,
during the prodromal phase, the mental stage of the patient is changed, compared to the
persons pre-morbid functioning, up until the onset of frank psychotic symptoms [8]. This
phase has been reported to last around 2-5 years average [7]. Finally, during the 3rd phase,
symptoms are reported to be more obvious. People feel that their hallucinations and delusions
are real and they behave accordingly. The patient loses its insight and perspective, as well as
the capacity to function in an organized integrated manner [7]. There are often prolonged
delays in initiating effective treatment for first-episode psychosis, even though any sufficient
delay is associated with poorer response and outcome because early identification and
treatment during the first stages of psychosis is more likely to reduce the burden of disease
while it is active [7].
127
Even though empirical evidence asserts 3 main phases of schizophrenia or first-episode

psychosis that patients go through, it is not always easy to define or say precisely when a
person has slipped into psychosis [8]. The pre-morbid phase often blends with the first non
specific psychiatric symptoms and the prodromal phase often mingled with the onset of firstepisode psychosis. There is continuity among the 3 stages and because many issues are
interrelated, factors, such as the degree of deviation from normality, the frequency of the
experience and the length of time in which symptoms are present, should be taken into
consideration [8].
According to the model of McGlashan and Hoffman (2000) for the development of
psychosis, in normal human development, synaptic connectivity expands and wanes
according to the stages of human development [9]. Specifically, synaptic connections flourish
and grow from birth to age five, and then they continue to expand until adolescence and
finally start reducing during adult cognitive development. However, in some cases, synaptic
connectivity is less than normal because of genetics, pregnancy and birth complications, etc.
In these cases, children may develop deficits in social, academic and cognitive functioning
and during adolescence synaptic connectivity may be reduced [9]. This model suggests that,
in other cases with a pathway to psychosis, the childhood dissemination of synaptic
connectivity is normally vigorous, but the pathogenic prospective for psychosis lies in an
abnormally intensified rate of synaptic pruning during adolescence and young adulthood.
These cases may also lead to the onset of psychosis as previous hypothesized pathways;
however timing to psychosis may differ [9]. In other words, there are cases that disabilities
are already present and precede adolescent changes, providing premonitory signals of
upcoming problems. There are also cases of no warning signals because of a normal
adolescence, and when symptoms arrive, with no obvious warning, there are often ignored
and denied until the psychosis becomes a fact. In these cases the advantages of early detection
and treatment are lost [9].
During the first signs of the disorder, the patients are usually functional and do not
demonstrate any obvious symptoms. However, they start developing new accelerating deficits
in their social and intellectual functioning as well as on their organizational abilities [1].
Psychosis risk-symptoms usually appear, in most of the cases, six months to three years
before the onset of psychosis. Aberrant salience, meaning the unusual or incorrect assignment
of salience to unimportant stimuli has been considered to be a central mechanism in the
development of psychosis [1]. During the onset of the symptoms, innocuous stimuli become
more significant and capture the attention of the patient. Sharpened senses, feelings of being
at the verge of some important breakthrough, high sense of emotionality and anxiety of
uncontrolled changes are often reported at the beginning of the process [1]. Negative
symptoms have been reported to develop first and positive symptoms follow [3]. During the
last few months, before the onset of psychosis symptoms increase in number and intensity.
Symptoms of schizophrenic behavior, such as ideas of reference, paranoid ideation,
unexplained sights and sounds, become more apparent, even though elements of reality exist
in the forms of doubt. When these characteristics become adequately attenuated, psychosis
arises [3].
Emotional recovery and relapse are interlinked. Empirical evidence asserts that the 2
years period after the first episode appears to be a critical period in determining possible longterm outcomes. Relapse occurs in 20-35% at 1 year, 50-65% at 2 years and 80% at 5 years
[10]. Consequently, relapses are common during the first 5 years after the first episode. For
128
this reason, this phase is known as critical period. Young people often find it difficult to
adjust and accept so many life changes, such as taking daily medication, especially if they
have substantially recovered. Poor obedience often results to one or more relapses which are
risky, disruptive and may consequence in an increased chance of treatment resistance [10].
Moreover, results of various research studies reveal that, 5 years after onset, 70% of the group
has experienced a psychotic relapse and by 9 years the rate was 85%, with no relapsing
patients after this, suggesting that a safety point has been reached. Other studies found similar
relapse rates (70-80%), even though different criteria were adopted [7].Treatment of
subsequent episodes of psychosis is less pleasing than the first with patients less likely to
recover from psychosis. Inability to prevent relapse often forms the basis for developing
depression and anxiety. These negative feelings work as a chain to cause further psychotic
experiences, more involuntary admissions, stigmatization and loss of social status and
friendships [10]. However, relapse rates may also be influenced by critical and hostile home
environments, particularly in the absence of antipsychotic medication. The same applies for
negative social attitudes and responses towards patients with psychosis, considering that
productive social relationships promote recovery [4]. Moreover, as Morrison et al (2004)
assert, when working with patients a big challenge is to help them develop strategies to
identify and therefore minimize and resolve relapse. Self-monitoring and establishing a
normalizing rationale for why relapse may occur, as well as awareness of the stages that are
part of the relapse process, are major steps for relapse prevention [11]. For start, patients
should be able to identify possible stressors and triggers that could be strong enough to cause
a possible relapse. In this way, patient and therapist are able to explore the relation between
events and consequences and establish the development of first symptoms. Afterwards, the
patient is in the position of identifying how his/hers psychotic symptoms were developed and
what can trigger this process [11]. Therefore, the patient is now capable to monitor the events
that could activate his/hers core beliefs, which are responsible for psychotic symptoms. After
this stage, the therapist may teach the patient alternative strategies of dealing successfully
with these stressors or problems, providing the patient with a feeling of positivism about the
future [11]. In cases in which patients do not manage to spot indicators responsible for their
relapse, individuals of the patients close environment, such as family and friends, can play a
vital role. In many cases, families are able to identify psychotic symptoms which indicate the
onset of relapse, making it possible for the application of early interventions [11]. In cases
which early warning signs are observed self-monitoring is appropriate, while others monitor
observable behaviors that the patient may not be aware of. The importance of monitoring
signs of relapse is the employment of strategies to prevent the effects of relapse to patients,
since the earlier the application of interventions, the greater the chances of positive results
[11]. The future of patients with psychosis is of major interest. Psychological interventions
are more successful for patients with early psychosis. These treatments are more possible to
play an important role in the optimal recovery of patients if offered during the early stages.
Optimal recovery is less possible to be achieved in the absence of psychological
interventions, along with proper medication [7].
129
DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOSIS AND ASSOCIATED FEATURES

ON EVERYDAY FUNCTIONING
One of the main issues with patients suffering from psychotic disorders and
schizophrenia in particular, is the lack of insight of their illness and their need for treatment,
probably because of neuropsychological deficits [12]. Scientific evidence suggests that
psychotic symptoms are clearly related with worse daily functioning, even among those who
do not meet the diagnostic criteria for a disorder or when the symptoms do not reach the
clinical threshold for a psychotic disorder (Nuevo et al, 2010). Patients are frustrated with the
people around them and their doctors who insist that they have a serious mental illness
exactly because they are certain that they do not. For this reason, they often refuse any
possible help or treatment, except in cases that its their only option to gain their freedom
from hospitals. This severe unawareness of illness is damaging to the patients relationships
but also to their chances of recovery because of their incompliance with possible treatments
[12]. Personal confessions of patients with psychotic illnesses reveal that when symptoms
start appearing, often during days or weeks, stress is becoming really intense. If neither the
patient nor the individuals surrounding the patient notice on time, it gets more difficult to ease
the symptoms [14]. However, if it is noticed early enough, it is easier for the patient to
implement a number of techniques to alleviate the problems. Diary planning, prioritizing
events and time management are techniques often used by patients to ease the problems, and
therefore stress and symptoms, along with sharing of findings with health professionals and
medication, until the patient manages to make sense of things again [14].
Patients with psychotic illnesses often demonstrate symptoms of paranoia as well. Even
though suspiciousness is a common feeling, up to a certain range, to many people, paranoia,
in the sense of mistrust and suspiciousness, in the case of psychotic illnesses, can reach the
level of unrealistic and exaggerated distrust of others [14]. Patients may lose touch with
reality, they can be over-suspicious of other peoples motives and they often fear that other
people may want to harm them. When people develop these ideas it is often extremely
difficult to realize that their fears are not reasonable or realistic and cognitive behavioral
therapy is essential in order to help them to step back and think their possibilities [14].
Delusions are also considered to be a common feature of psychosis. Delusions are
conceptualized as rationalization of experiences, particularly atypical or anomalous
perceptions of events, for which an explanation is not evident [15]. A better understanding of
the cognitive processes and the deficits on reasoning processes, which underlie symptoms of
delusions, can lead to improvements in cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis [15].
Moreover, patients with psychotic illnesses often admit that they often experience
hallucinations, such as hearing voices, clearly and realistically [14]. Hallucinations are
described as the experience of a sensory perception in the absence of a corresponding external
stimulus [15]. For many patients auditory hallucinations are a common feature of psychosis
and are highly distressing for the individual. Often this symptom persists, despite the efficacy
of medication [16]. Health professionals suggest to the patients to keep a diary recording
these experiences, and afterwards try to reduce the activities associated with the periods
hearing the voices, as a measure of control [16]. Cognitive behavioral therapy is useful in this
case as well. Along with the positive symptoms (e.g. paranoia and hallucinations) people with
psychotic illnesses also experience a series of negative symptoms which have a number of
130
effects on their personal and social life. Alogia, anhedonia, emotional blunting, attention and
concentration deficits are only a few of the examples that patients may experience [14].
Considering all the above, for some psychotic individuals medication is an important part
of managing psychosis since symptoms of psychosis are caused by a chemical imbalance in
the brain and specifically in the limbic region. Antipsychotic medications vary and some of
them are more effective than others, while some of them may have intense side effects.
Different people may need different doses of medication because everyones body reacts
differently with medication [17].
CONCLUSION
Even though there is an expanding interest in the study of psychosis, there is still a
growing need in research to study patients experiences in the context in which they are
occurring. Considering that psychotic experiences and symptoms, such as delusions,
hallucinations, flat affect, anhedonia and asociality can be found in the interaction between
the person and its environment, a future direction of research could involve validation of
experimental and questionnaire findings in the realm of daily life, relating laboratory findings
to real life functioning [18]. Furthermore, future research could further validate score
interpretations in measuring in measuring psychosis proneness, with longitudinal studies, in
order to see if scores can predict conversion to psychosis [1].
The importance of timely treatment is an unquestionable fact on the developmental
progression of psychosis [6]. However, since psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are
considered to be the most expensive psychiatric disorders, there is a constant need for
intervention research and improvement of treatments. From a public health perspective a
focus on better pharmacological and more specific psychotherapeutic, cognitive, behavioral,
psychososial and rehabilitative interventions is necessitated [19]. A multipronged effort
focusing on better pharmacological treatments along with more specific psychotherapeutic,
cognitive, behavioral, psychosocial and rehabilitative interventions is warranted [19].
Finally, there is a need for future research direction concerning preventive interventions
of psychosis, in the context of treatment. Since the developmental progression of psychosis is
often based on fast and efficient treatment procedures, preventive interventions can be
directed towards reducing the risk of relapse or recurrence and toward minimizing excessive
or inappropriate levels of disability [20]. Preventive studies can also be directed towards
eliminating the development of the illness in those at risk, and especially youth, by designing
prevention models which will engage a wide spectrum of fields, such as treatment research,
service systems and services research, and be based upon models of etiology, pathophysiology and risk [20].
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McGlashan, H. Th., Walsh, C. Barbara and Woods, W. Scott. 2010, The Psychosis Risk
Syndrome Handbook for Diagnosis and Follow-Up, Oxford University Press, New
York.
Horgan, C., McKenzie. K. and Fearon, P. (eds) 2008, Society and Psychosis,
Cambridge University Press, New York.
French, P., Smith, J., Shiers, D., Reed, M. and Rayne, M. (eds) 2010, Promoting
Recovery in Early Psychosis A practice manual, Wiley Blackwell, Oxford.
Haan, L., Linszen, H. D., Lenior, E. M., Doderlein, de Win, E. and Gorsira, R. 2003,
Duration of Untreated Psychosis and Outcome of Schizophrenia: Delay in Intensive
Psychosocial Treatment Versus Delay in Treatment With Antipsychotic Medication,
Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 29, no.2.
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Psychosis A Treatment Handbook, John Wiley and Sons Ltd, England.
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Rakkar, A. 2004, Monitoring and Care of Young People at Incipient Risk of Psychosis,
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McGlashan, H. T. and Hoffman, E. R. 2000, Schizophrenia as a Disorder of
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Gumley, A., Braehler, C., Laithwaite, H., McBeth, A. and Gilbert, P., 2010, A
Compassion Focused Model of Recovery after Psychosis, International Journal of
Cognitive Therapy, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 186-201.
Morrison, P. A., Renton, C. J., Dunn, H., Williams, S. and Bentall, P. R. 2004,
Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis A Formulation Based Approach, Brunner
Routledge, New York.
Amador, D. and David, A. (2004), Insight and Psychosis Awareness of Illness in
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders, Oxford University Press, New York.
Nuevo, R., Chatterji, S.,Verdes, E., Naidoo, N., Arango, A. and Ayuso-Mateos, J.L.
2010, The Continuum of Psychotic Symptoms in the General Population: A Crossnational Study, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Available Online at:
http://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/
content/early/2010/09/13/schbul.sbq099.full
Turkington, D., Kingdon, D., Rathod, S., Wilcock, S., Brabban, A., Cromarty, P.,
Dudley, R., Gray, R., Pelton, J., Siddle, R. and Weiden, P. (eds) 2009, Back to Life,
Back to Normality, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Garety, A. P., Freeman, D., Jolley, S., Dunn, G., Beddington, E. P., Fowler, G. D.,
Kuipers, E. and Dudley, R. 2005, Reasoning, Emotions, and Delusional Conviction in
Psychosis, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, vol. 114, no. 3, pp. 373-384.
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Verbal Hallucinations in Persons with Psychosis, Canadian Journal of Behavioural
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McGorry, D. P. and Jackson, J. H. (eds) 2004, The Recognition and Management of
Early Psychosis - A Preventive Approach, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
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[18] Oorschot, M., Kwapil, T., Delespaul, P. and Myin-Germeys, I. 2009, Momentary
Assessment Research in Psychosis, Psychological Assessment, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 498505.
[19] Jeste, V. D. and Glick, D. I. 2000, Editors Introduction: Intervention Research in
Psychosis: Past, Present and Future, Schizophrenia Bullentin, vol. 26, no. 3.
[20] Lebowitz, D. B. and Pearson, L. J. 2000, Intervention Research in Psychosis:
Prevention Trials, Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol.26, no.3.

ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 7
SEMANTIC MEMORY AND SYMPTOMATOLOGY

IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: A REVIEW
Keith R. Laws,1,* Verity C. Leeson,2
Mohammed M. Al-Uzri3,4 and Tejinder K. Kondel1,5
1
2
School of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, UK

Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College London, UK
3
Division of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, UK
4
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
5
Parent-Infant Psychology Service, Whittington, UK
ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the past twenty years of research on semantic memory function
in schizophrenia. This now substantial body of work has consistently documented
abnormal semantic memory in most schizophrenia patients across a range of tasks
(including priming, semantic fluency, picture naming) and which, varies from being quite
mild through to some cases being indistinguishable from the impairment seen in
Alzheimers disease. Furthermore, although some patients have problems accessing intact
semantics, others possibly with longer illness duration - show an apparent loss of
knowledge from the semantic store itself. While the abnormalities of semantic memory
i.e. knowledge, offer a potential candidate of explanation for some symptoms, little work
has examined the relationship between semantic memory and symptomatology.
In a manner of speaking
Semantics won't do
I just want to say
That just like you I should find a way
To tell you everything
By saying nothing
(In a Manner of Speaking, Tuxedo Moon, 1985)
*
134
Keith R. Laws, Verity C. Leeson, Mohammed M. Al-Uzri et al.
INTRODUCTION
What is the meaning of the word love? What is the capital of Peru? If we know the
answers to these questions (or believe we know the answers), then that information resides
within our semantic memory. Since the seminal work of [1], one of the most important
distinctions in human memory is arguably that between episodic and semantic memory (see
Table 1).
Episodic memory is autobiographical and assumed therefore, to vary between
individuals, reflecting their differing personal experience e.g., I recall that I had scrambled
eggs for breakfast.
By contrast, semantic memory is more invariant, shared across individuals and
incorporates ...an organized body of knowledge involving words, concepts, their meanings,
their associations, and the rules for manipulating these symbols and concepts [2, p.377].
For example, that paella consists of rice, prawns, calamari, and mussels and so on, it is
served in a large bowl and a staple food of many Spaniards, the word Paella derives from the
Latin word Patella meaning pan and so on. The basic units of semantic information are
concepts referring to things such as animals or furniture, or ideas or facts (which are
generated in the course of exposure to the environment).
These units comprise a series of exemplars grouped together into categories according to
salient shared features: for instance, chair, table and sofa can be categorized as furniture.
Table 1. Differences between Episodic and Semantic Memory
(Modified from [1])
Episodic
Information
Source
Units
Organisation
Reference
Veridicality
Operations
Retrieval query
Retrieval report
Recollective experience
Registration
Inferential capacity
Context dependency
Affect
Semantic
Sensation
Events, episodes
Temporal
Personal
Personal belief
Comprehension
Facts, ideas, concepts
Conceptual
Universe
Social agreement
Time? Place?
Remember
Remember past
Experimental
Limited
More pronounced
More important
What?
Know
Actualised knowledge
Symbolic
Rich
Less pronounced
Less important
The organisation of this information is conceptual rather than temporal, so categorisation

provides the structure of semantic memory. In a highly complex environment like ours,
categorisation helps us to adapt and cope with the complexity of our surrounding [3].
Investigations of semantic memory developed along two main directions. First, experimental
cognitive psychology informing us about semantic memory in the healthy individual and
second, the neuropsychology of semantic memory, typically outlining what may be inferred
Semantic Memory and Symptomatology in Schizophrenia
135
from abnormal function in patients with neurological (typically individual case studies) and
potentially psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia in the case of the latter, being more
recent and more contentious.
A CASE STUDY OF SEMANTIC MEMORY

IMPAIRMENT IN SCHIZOPHRENIA [4]
Within neuropsychology, semantic memory has traditionally been examined using single
case studies, though far less in the study of people with schizophrenia. Nonetheless, a small
number of in-depth case studies of semantic memory function in schizophrenia have been
published.[4] reported a patient named DH, a 38-year-old single man with a diagnosis of
schizophrenia, but who appeared to have a classic visual agnosia affecting his semantic
knowledge and particularly for living things a so-called category-specific deficit [see 5].
Patient DH
DH first presented to psychiatric services at the age of 24, where he was
thought to be simply introverted and socially isolated. Twelve years later,
however, he presented again with bizarre persecutory and referential
delusions, third-person auditory hallucinations and other 'first rank'
schizophrenic symptoms (thought broadcasting, thought insertion and thought
withdrawal). His positive symptoms responded well to antipsychotic
medication, but he remained severely impaired by negative symptoms. After
spending time in a rehabilitation service, he eventually moved into hostel
accommodation where he has lived ever since.
There was no significant medical history; DH has never had a head injury, and
no history of drug or alcohol abuse. A CT scan revealed no gross abnormality,
with DHs ventricles and sulci being within normal limits for his age; and a
SPECT scan revealed no perfusion abnormality and temporal lobe perfusion
that was within normal limits. DH was well-oriented and scored 29/30 on the
Mini Mental State Examination [6]. His estimated premorbid NART IQ [7]
was 81 and his current full-scale WAIS-R IQ was 69[8].
As assessed by the Visual Object and Spatial Perception Battery [9], DHs apperceptive
and spatial perceptual skills were intact. Despite often reporting not knowing what a picture
represented, DH copied line drawings with reasonable accuracy, even when the structural
characteristics were quite complex (see Figure 1) and again, accords with his having intact
apperceptive and spatial-perceptual skills and hence, his ability to form stable percepts.
By contrast, DH was impaired on all tasks requiring item recognition and this extended to
his ability to name to verbal descriptions (correctly naming only 6/24 descriptions), indicating
that his object identification problem extends beyond the visual modality.
136
DH was asked to name 260 line drawings and again, was severely impaired, naming less
than 50% (119/260); however, it was notable that his naming of living things e.g. animals and
fruits and vegetables (21% : 21/98) was much worse than for naming nonliving things
(60.5%: 98/162).
Original drawing
Copy
Drawn from memory
Figure 1. Examples of DHs Copy Drawing and Drawing from Memory.
He was further asked to name 3-dimensional models of animals to see if the additional
visual information would aid recognition; however, he named only 2/16 (cow and dog)
models; and his errors included: Panda dog; Lion dog; Giraffe different sort of horse;
Monkey horse; and responding dont know for various animals including Horse, Elephant
and Pig. DH also performed poorly on a less cognitively demanding word-picture matching
task (i.e. not requiring name retrieval, but simply pointing to a named target amongst 5
pictures from the same category).
137
Again, DH showed much better performance with nonliving (42/60: 70%) than living
(24/60: 40%) things. Hence, DHs problem extends to the simple task of matching a name
with a target picture (amongst related distractors). DH was also asked to describe named
items. Examples of his descriptions appear in Table 2. Manifestly, DHs definitions of living
things were less detailed than for nonliving things and that DHs difficulty was not restricted
to visual input.
Table 2. Examples of DHs Descriptions to the Names
of Living and Nonliving things
Living
Alligator never heard of it.
Rhino - never heard of it.

Swan swims in the water (anything else,
what does it look like?) no (what colour is
it?) white.
Lobster fish.
Fox 4 legs.
Penguin bird or chocolate (can you
describe the bird called penguin?) no,
nothing.
Nonliving
Accordion oh yeah, buttons. Piano. Played in
pubs. Music sounds like folk music. (Can you
tell me anything else?)
You put it over your neck with a strap.
Helicopter flies in the air.
Rolling pin to do with cookery.
For making pastry.
French horn musical instrument.
Motorcycle drives and wears a helmet. Makes
a noise. Has wheels.
Spinning wheel goes round
Overall, DHs deficit shows striking similarities with the type of central semantic
impairment observed in visual agnosias following neurological damage to the temporal lobes.
Moreover, the deficit has a category-specific profile [see 3] consistently affecting one
category (living things) more than another (nonliving things). A recent review of the
neuroanatomical loci relating to such category effects, [10] identified bilateral damage to the
inferior temporal lobes and medial structures (hippocampus, amygdala, parahippocampal
gyri) as common in such disorders.
Indeed, the most consistent findings to emerge from a recent meta-analysis of 15 voxelbased morphometry (VBM) studies in schizophrenia1 [11] was a relative reduction in the
volume of the left superior temporal gyrus and the left medial temporal lobe - largely
confined to the left medial temporal lobe (in nine of 13 studies) rather than the right medial
temporal lobe (three of 13 studies).
Using a case-study approach, [12] examined the extremely thought disordered patient TC
(for examples of speech, see Table 3), who showed a significant semantic memory
impairment. Looking at TC's speech, the presence of an abnormality in semantics seems
inescapable. On neurocognitive testing, TC's naming ability was inconsistent across both time
and modality (i.e. to-picture and to-description).
1
VBM is a technique for estimating the density or volume of grey matter (or white matter) and typically, involves a
voxelby-voxel comparison of grey matter for two groups of subjects or a correlation between volume and
task performance.
138
A Case Study of How Semantic Memory Relates to Formal

Thought Disorder
Patient TC
TC is a 38-year-old man who has suffered from schizophrenia from his late
teenage years. His birth and early life were normal and he did quite well
academically at school (achieving four O levels). Shortly afterwards,
however, he began to do poorly and failed his A' levels. By the age of 19 he
had become withdrawn, was unable to work, and was admitted to hospital,
where he showed persecutory and grandiose delusions, delusions of control
and third-person auditory hallucinations. He had a number of relapses and
remissions, but never recovered fully. Ultimately, he became chronically
hospitalised. The patient has been in a stable clinical state for 7-10 years. His
presentation is dominated by grossly thought-disordered speech, associated
with ill-formed delusional preoccupations revolving around heaven and John
Lennon; he also alludes to auditory hallucinations from time to time and these
are superimposed on a moderately severe negative symptom defect state
He also showed a severe comprehension deficit that was highly variable across time.
Further testing revealed that the comprehension deficit did not reflect a disorder of working
memory, but stemmed directly from impaired access to word meaning. They concluded that a
central semantic memory deficit would most parsimoniously account both for TC's expressive
and receptive language problems and that this deficit reflected a disorder of semantic access
rather than a degradation of the semantic knowledge base itself. Five years later [13], TC
showed a remarkable improvement in his thought disorder symptoms. Having previously
produced grammatically well-formed, but completely incoherent speech, TC had had begun
to speak rationally without immediately drifting off into unrelated topics [13] therefore
administered the same battery of tests to TC and his comprehension of language showed a
marked and significant improvement with the remitting of his major symptom. Although
TCs naming did not improve, it did become more consistent and finally, he showed a
residual tendency to accept false information in silly sentences tasks. Crucially then, at least
some of the semantic problems appear to be causally related to the symptom possibly
affecting comprehension more than any other aspect of semantic processing.
Moreover, these findings indicate that while some aspects of the semantic disorder are
state related (to the symptoms) others may be traits of schizophrenia per se. While case
studies of cognitive function are almost the main method for studying cognitive problems in
neurological patients, such case studies are infrequent in the study of psychiatric disorders.
Nonetheless, these two cases patently document in the case of DH, a profound and highly
specific (category-specific) semantic agnosia; and in the case of TC, a clear link and
moreover, the breaking of the link between semantic memory deficits and thought disorder
symptoms.
139
The next section of this chapter surveys the evidence for semantic memory deficits in
schizophrenia and the final section outlines a new study examining the relationship between a
wide range of semantic memory tests and symptoms in a relatively high functioning group of
patients.
Table 3. Examples of TCs Responses to Silly Sentences
Forks have
windows
Forks are used

for fuel
Cups have a
head
Yes they do. Augmented pretension. Four plus four equals

sixteen. It's a larger element, it's photographic and
phototropic, but it's a higher number, higher course-work.
It grows through evaporation or nocturnalism, its sleepy,
you rediscover it and I suppose forks could have windows
through evaporation.
Yes, they add up and kind of like a solution. Its say, its
an equine or equinox, like fungi. Something in the brain
tells you its a high number. Bacteriology, a numerate
number, its a particle, therefore it contains solution is to
answer the right question. A fork is a solution, an aqueous
solution. Fork in a kettle, something brittle, do hairs bristle
on a comb or fungi? It could be naval or positive solution
ratified, like a kettle, if kettle is the right answer. It could
be 8th or 7th one right? Brown aqueous solution inside the
kettle
Yes, but a faulty one, theres nothing there. Its like latent
vaporism, it could be there or not. Like a con-layer, a
further learning primate
NAMING
Picture naming has been the most common test used to assess the intactness of semantic
knowledge in various pathological groups e.g. Alzheimers disease [14]. In a recent metaanalysis, [15] reported that only 13 of 22 (59%) studies documented naming impairments in
schizophrenia patients. Despite apparent inconsistencies, however, the overall effect size
across studies was extremely large (d = 1.45) even if performance had been reported to
be preserved [15]. Translating this effect size into the so-called 'Common Language Effect
Size' [16] reveals that 85% of schizophrenia patients name fewer items than controls. The
contrast between statistical significance and effect size points to a considerable number of
studies with small samples that undoubtedly lack sufficient power to detect real differences.
In the two largest studies [4, 17] examining 55 patients and 22 controls in the former and 54
patients and 24 controls in the latter, the effect sizes were large at 1.32 and 1.49 respectively
(following Cohens nomenclature 0.2 = small; 0.5 = medium and 0.8 = large). Examining
naming of 120 colour pictures, [4] found as many as three-quarters of the schizophrenic
sample showed impaired naming (scoring <5th percentile of healthy controls); and moreover,
in 15% of cases, the deficits were category-specific (i.e. significantly greater in one category
than another). Indeed, in six patients, the category deficit was highly selective and produced a
140
classical dissociation i.e. patients were impaired in one category and within the normal range
for the other category [see 18]. Moreover, all of the patients showing category effects
continued to show the same effect when re-tested 2-4 months later. This evidence is, if
anything, stronger than that often presented in neurological cases with category deficits [19].
Table 4. Example Responses to the Silly Sentences Test [from 20]
Sentences
Rats have teeth (replied false)
Owls have blades (replied true)
Beefsteaks crawl on their
bellies (replied true)
Admirals have fins (replied
true)
Crows are in charge of ships
(replied true)
Explanation
'Because I don't think they do have teeth'
'To fly with'
'A cow is still alive before it's slaughtered,
so it could be true, they could crawl on
their bellies a bit'
'Because they go on the ocean where fish
are'
'In the crow's nest'
Hence, a proportion of schizophrenic patients presenting with such deficits parallel the
findings documented in the context of neurological pathology (e.g. herpes simplex
encephalitis, dementia of the Alzheimers type and so on) who present with category deficits.
This level of specificity suggests that, in some schizophrenia patients (as many as 15%)
lexical-semantics are not compromised in a generalized fashion, but that some semantic
categories are affected more than others a category-based disorder such as this one is
difficult to reconcile with anything other than a semantic disorder.
Silly Sentences
[20] used the silly sentences test [after 21] to assess semantic memory in their cohort of
schizophrenics. This task involves either accepting or rejecting various statements such as
rats have teeth and grapes are people. Not only did the patients prove to be slower than
the normal group with over 60% falling outside of the normal range altogether, they also
tended to make more errors in their verifications. Nearly one-quarter of the sample made
three or more errors and the trend was towards verifying false statements as true rather than
rejecting true statements (see Table 4 for example responses). By contrast, using 143 silly
sentences, [22] somewhat surprisingly reported no differences in overall accuracy between 63
schizophrenic patients and 66 controls. Why the general null finding contrasts with several
previous reports, [20, 23, 24], is unclear, but one possibility relates to the high levels of
education (mean 13.9 years) and intelligence (mean 113.9) in their patient group. Indeed,
Rossell and colleagues had screened-out patients with lower IQ. Importantly, however, they
did find that deluded patients were more likely to accept sentences congruent (and reject
sentences incongruent) with the themes of their abnormal beliefs (classified as persecutory,
grandiose, political, religious, relationships and somatic).
141
Fluency: Problems with Semantic Disorganisation

Models designed to account for the semantic deficit evident in schizophrenia (and in
particular, thought disordered speech) rely on long established network theories of semantic
memory [25]. Such models assume that semantic knowledge is organised as a network of
associated concepts, which represent memory as nodes, and relations as the associative
pathways between the nodes. In a similar vein, schizophrenia patients may have semantic
networks that are, in some way, different from that seen in healthy individuals. Idiosyncratic
organisation within the network or an abnormal pattern of spreading between nodes would
also account for the incoherent, tangential speech observed in individuals with FTD. [26]
proposed that unfocussed activation and disorganisation distinguish the networks of
schizophrenic patients and Goldberg and colleagues have more recently championed this
notion as an explanation for FTD [e.g. 27]. One common method to investigate the structure
of semantic networks in schizophrenia patients has been through verbal fluency, which
appears to be both impaired and anomalous for both semantic (category) and phonemic
(letter) tasks ([28-34]). Beyond the poverty of output, it is also possible to say something
about the organisation of responses in fluency tasks in schizophrenia patients. Patients often
produce inappropriate words during semantic fluency [35] e.g. potato for the category of
fruits, possibly indicating abnormal semantic boundaries in schizophrenia [see also 36].
Further, [35] estimated the size of the lexicon to be intact in schizophrenic patients,
suggesting inefficient retrieval and search strategies, rather than a loss of semantic knowledge
itself. An attempted replication by [37]; however, produced quite contrary results with
patients and controls producing comparable numbers of inappropriate semantic fluency items
and moreover, they concluded that the lexicon size was indeed compromised in patients.
Fluency in patients with schizophrenia has produced one of the largest effect sizes amongst
neurocognitive tests [38]. [39] meta-analysed 30 studies using both phonemic and semantic
fluency in a total of 1633 schizophrenics, with large effect sizes emerging for both (d=0.95
and d=1.12 respectively and semantic fluency being significantly more impaired). Similarly,
[40] reported effect sizes of d =0.99 and 1.27 respectively in 13 studies and over 900
schizophrenic patients. [39] also reported that both fluency effect sizes were highly correlated
with WAIS IQ. Furthermore, longer illness duration was associated with worse semantic
fluency (but not phonemic fluency). Interestingly negative symptoms (Scale for the
Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS] [41]) and not positive symptoms (Scales for the
Assessment of Positive Symptoms [SAPS] [41]) correlated with phonemic, but not semantic
fluency - which is consistent with proposed links between negative symptoms and frontal
lobe dysfunction [see 42].
Studies have often, although not always, reported significant correlations between
negative symptom scores and impairment on a range of executive tests [e.g. 43], and the
correlation is substantiated by a meta-analysis of 40 studies of various fluency measures
revealing a correlation of -.27 [44]. Finally, a meta analysis of 8 semantic fluency studies
comparing relatives of schizophrenics with unrelated controls [45] revealed a large effect size
(Hedges g =0.87), thus pointing to semantic fluency being a potential familial trait
characteristic [see also 46]. Some evidence also suggests that fluency problems in
schizophrenia might act as an endophenotype manifesting itself even in those who are not ill,
but who are first-degree relatives of the affected. Various studies have reported impaired
semantic fluency in the healthy siblings of people with schizophrenia, suggesting that that
142
poor fluency may be a familial trait characteristic. A meta-analysis of eight semantic fluency
studies comparing siblings of schizophrenics with controls [46] reported a large effect size
(hedges g=.87). While several meta-analyses have documented various cognitive deficits in
the first degree relatives of patients [46 and 47], unfortunately no other aspects of semantic
memory have been examined. Some have reported that while fluency performance in
schizophrenic patients is worse than controls, both groups perform better on the semantic
fluency than the phonological fluency [31, 48, 49]. Others, however, have reported that
schizophrenics show the reverse pattern whereby phonological fluency performance is
superior to semantic fluency performance [30, 31, 50].
In addition, the magnitude of the difference between semantic fluency and phonological
fluency may significantly correlate with global FTD ratings [51], indicating that greater
difficulty searching through semantic memory is associated with increased FTD. [31],
however, did not find that semantic fluency was associated with FTD ratings although the
authors concede that [51] used a more comprehensive FTD measure. [40] carried out a metaanalysis of studies examining phonological and semantic fluency, of which five studies had
examined this phenomenon in relation to FTD. They report that, out of these, three did not
support a correlation between disproportionately impaired semantic fluency and FTD. These
differing results make it impossible to draw any conclusion from these studies; however, the
authors comment that these results must be considered in light of restriction in range of
thought disorder, difficulty in its reliability rating, and the rather small cohorts in the studies
that assess the relationship [40,p.76]. While semantic fluency impairments often exceed
those for phonemic fluency in schizophrenia and other conditions such as Alzheimers disease
[14], the same pattern emerges in normal healthy ageing [14,52-54]. Therefore, directional
differences in semantic and phonemic fluency may be less informative than previously
suspected; rather the patients are showing some exaggeration of the normal profile rather than
a qualitatively different profile.
Another methodological approach to detecting semantic abnormalities has been with
multidimensional scaling and clustering techniques, which examine the distance between
word pairs in a semantic fluency paradigm. In semantic fluency tasks, individuals typically
report exemplars in subgroup clusters e.g. pets, wild animals, exotic animals, birds, insects
and so on [55]. The clustering patterns are typically analysed using multi-dimensional scaling
(MDS) and consistently reveal less coherent semantic clusters in schizophrenia patients than
healthy controls [33,56-60]. For example, [56] found that goodness of fit measures were high
for healthy individuals, suggesting category exemplars (animals) were generated in an
organised manner along two semantically organised dimensions - domesticity and size.
Conversely, schizophrenics had low goodness of fit scores and appeared not to be using
semantically organised dimensions for generation in the same way as normal subjects. They
concluded, ...patients with schizophreniaappear to lack organisation and logical
associations within their semantic network (p.271). In an identical paradigm, [33] also
reported the same two dimensions of domesticity and size in healthy individuals, while for
schizophrenics, the dimension of size was not evident in the networks of many of the patients
[see also 61]. In a unique attempt to dissociate symptoms and semantic memory deficits, [62]
employed a double-blind crossover study. Hence, some patients started medication free and
then went onto receive medication, while others received a placebo. No significant changes in
performance occurred for the Boston Naming test, word and semantic fluency, the Peabody
word-picture matching task and the Token Test of comprehension. Nonetheless, on an intra-
143
categorical priming task, clinically rated FTD symptoms correlated inversely to performance,
with the degree of improvement for highly related intra-categorical prime-target pairs
correlating with improvement in TD symptoms. Interestingly, symptom improvement was
associated only with performance on an automatic, implicit task and not on those requiring
conscious, explicit responses. The authors suggest that this reflects the fact that the patients
who showed the most reduction in FTD became more able to capitalise on semantic
relatedness to improve RT.
Battery Approaches
One widely held view of semantics proposes that the input from different sense
modalities is stored in a unitary system in which all information, regardless of the modality of
access or acquisition, is stored together [63]. Although some have argued for separate but
interconnected modality-based stores of knowledge [64], the often striking item-to-item
correspondence of errors across modalities (e.g. on tests of naming-to-definition versus
picture naming), the loss of an item from a single semantic store for all modalities would
seem more parsimonious. Hence, studies will inevitably be limited in conclusions when using
single rather than multiple tasks. Indeed, we will argue below that converging evidence is
required from a variety of tests in order to determine if, for example, patients have difficulty
accessing semantics or a disorder of the semantic store itself. Using a comprehensive battery,
[65] assessed semantic memory in patients with schizophrenia. The Cambridge Semantic
Memory Test Battery (CSM) consists of five tests [66 see Table 5]. Three of the tests (picture
naming, picture sorting, and word-picture matching tests) employ one consistent set of
stimuli, designed to assess input to and output from central representational knowledge about
the same group of items through visual and verbal modalities; and the remaining two are
naming to definition and category fluency. [65] found that, on many of the semantic tests, a
group of elderly schizophrenics performed at a level similar to that of patients with mild to
moderate Alzheimers disease. Two further groups of schizophrenics - a mild group who had
relapsing and remitting episodes (but were able to live independently) and a core group who
were younger (but had unremitting illness) - also showed semantic memory deficits.
As expected, the deficits were less severe in the mild group, with the core group
displaying impairment intermediate between the elderly and mild groups, thus highlighting
the potentially crucial role played by severity and chronicity of illness in the level of semantic
memory impairment.
Additionally, they showed that the semantic deficits were not a simple facet of
intellectual functioning (current or estimated premorbid), stating that significant
impairment on the semantic memory test battery could be found in patients with preserved
intellectual function, no matter how strictly this was defined (our italics).
Employing the CSM battery, [68] reported significantly worse category fluency and
naming-to-description in younger schizophrenics (mean age =34.9) patients than controls.
The remaining tests (picture naming, word-picture matching and sorting) failed to reveal
significant differences; however, at least for picture naming, this may reflect low power as the
effect size was 0.73.
144
Further, no significant correlations emerged between severity of symptoms (using the

Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [69]) and performance on any aspect of the semantic memory
battery, though this may well also reflect the small sample size. In a further study using the
CSM, [70] compared a group of 20 schizophrenia patients with 22 Alzheimer's Dementia
(AD) and 15 elderly healthy controls. The profile of semantic memory performance for the
AD group indicated marked impairment on all tests, whereas the profile for chronic
schizophrenia was more uneven.
Based on this, the authors argued that, unlike the AD group, the semantic impairment in
schizophrenia patients did not result from a degraded store. On subordinate sorting and the
Camel and Cactus pictures and words2, schizophrenic patients produced error rates
significantly greater that healthy controls, but did not differ from the AD group.
By contrast, for picture naming, wordpicture matching and superordinate category
sorting, AD patients made significantly more errors than schizophrenic patients (Cohen's d
>.8). Indeed, schizophrenics performed at a level similar to that of the healthy controls;
however, this finding may reflect the influence of substantial ceiling effects on these tests3.
Doughty and colleagues propose that such an uneven profile (in the schizophrenia group)
does not accord with a degraded semantic store disorder (as per the consistent and widespread
impairment in the AD group).
Table 5. Cambridge Semantic Memory Battery [67] (CSM)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Category fluency. Subjects generate as many items as they could from

the category of animals in one minute.
Picture naming. Subjects asked to name line-drawn items on 48 cards.
Word to picture matching. The subjects point to a named item from an
array containing six items from the same category.
Naming to description. Subjects hear descriptions of 24 different living
and man made items and are asked to give the name.
Picture sorting. Subjects asked to sort the same 48 cards (used in the 2nd
and 3rd tests) into: (a) Level one (superordinate) - living (24 items) vs.
manmade (24 items). (b) Level two (categories) - the living items into
land animals, birds, and water creatures, the manmade items into
household items, musical instruments and vehicles. (c) Level three
(subordinate) - the land animals into native vs. foreign to Britain, and
the household items into electrical vs. non-electrical items
Nevertheless, this seems a somewhat premature conclusion given the ceiling effects on
several tests preventing the finding of any impairment on those tests. At a general level, the
problem of ceiling effects on such tasks stems inevitably from their being primarily devised
This task is similar to the Pyramids and Palm Trees test requiring participants to match a target picture or name
with one of two distracters e.g. Camel goes with Cactus or Fir Tree.
3
Indeed, the authors removed control data from their analyses for this reason; and used a log-linear transform of the
patient data.
145
for use with those who have dementia4. Nevertheless, when comparisons are required with
controls (which is almost always) or with less severely impaired patients, then analyses will
be detrimentally affected by the ceiling effect (regardless of transforming the data) and the
use of nonparametric statistics generally reduces power and makes the use of covariates
complex. One solution, however, is to use boostrapping techniques and we will return to these
later.
Biased or Distorted Semantic Memory Rather

than a Loss of Knowledge?
Semantic memory functioning may not simply be impaired, characterised by low scores
on relevant tasks, but it may also be anomalous. As indicated in [71], it may be necessary to
take the unprecedented step of beginning to think in terms of a neuropsychological function
that is heightened, biased, distorted or otherwise deranged rather than being merely
compromised (p. 170). In the context of anomalous semantics, [72,73] first examined the
notion of overinclusiveness in the thinking of people with schizophrenia. Cameron had
patients sort objects into groups and noted that they exhibited an inability to maintain the
boundaries of the problem and to restrict their operation within its limits. The result was the
expression of ideas that appeared vague and could cause the mental set of the speaker to cease
to correspond to that of the listener. Payne and co-workers followed up this work with a range
of experimental paradigms examining overinclusion [74]. They used tasks such as requiring
synonyms for words and sorting pictures into conceptual categories, which revealed that
schizophrenics were significantly more overinclusive than healthy controls and non-psychotic
psychiatric controls. Of additional interest was the finding that acute schizophrenics were
more overinclusive than those with established schizophrenia. This finding stands out against
the vast majority of studies proposing that established schizophrenia is associated with more
severe deficits. Studies reporting overinclusiveness in schizophrenia patients [76, 75] imply a
qualitative abnormality in how semantics information is accessed and so, goes beyond any
simple quantitative changes in semantic activation.
Disorganisation of the semantic system may allow insight into how thought disorder
manifests as deviant understanding as well as abnormal speech production since it implies
that the associative pathway between semantic nodes are not stable or reliable. [76] examined
the time taken by schizophrenics to decide whether an item is a member of a conceptual
category (i.e. is a robin a bird?). Not only were the patients slower to make this type of
judgement than controls, but they took the longest to process related items that were outside
of the category (e.g. aeroplane for the bird category), while controls took the longest over
borderline, atypical category members (e.g. penguin for the bird category). Furthermore, the
schizophrenic group were more likely to verify non-category members as belonging to that
category, indicating an outward shift of the category boundary. An attempted replication and
extension of the original study [77], however, failed with schizophrenic patients exhibiting
normal representations of category boundaries for words and picture stimuli. Although
4
Even this assumption is unwarranted given that neuropsychologists are typically looking at a performance profile
across a range of tests and so, it is crucial to know if the pattern mirrors or deviates from that expected in
healthy normal individuals (see Laws 2005 for striking examples).
146
Elvevg and colleagues gave no specific reason for the difference across studies, they
proposed that semantics is intact, while movement between concepts is impaired. The
notion of overinclusion also fails to receive support from [78] in their word search study,
where participants searched for a target word or member of a category within lists. Using a
search list with words that were either semantically related or unrelated to the target item,
Gurd and colleagues found that patients made most errors when the non-target words were
semantically unrelated to the target item. By contrast, performance was better when the nontarget words were drawn from a related superordinate category (for example, search for any
boat amongst trailer, tank, helicopter, canoe, coach). They propose a selective lexicalsemantic parallel processing deficit underpins word-finding aberrations in schizophrenia.
Semantic Priming
Most semantic memory research paradigms rely upon so-called off-line tasks that
require conscious, strategic semantic processing (see Figure 3). In other words, individuals
need consciously to generate the semantic information on tasks such as naming items, giving
descriptions, generating exemplars from a given set, drawing from memory and so on. By
contrast, so-called on-line tasks assess semantic knowledge in ways that does not require
the conscious accessing of that knowledge.
Figure 3. Standard Lexical Decision Task.
147
To achieve this end studies typically employ priming techniques. Priming involves
assessing the level of assistance that one word (the prime) imparts to the processing of
another word (the target) - and this assistance is viewed as a measurement of their proximity
within semantic space.
Typically participants are asked to perform a lexical decision task (is the word real or
not?) or simply asked to pronounce sequences of presented words. The facilitation effect is
the decrease in reaction time to pronounce a word or recognise a string of letters as a real
word, when a semantically related prime is presented compared with an unrelated prime. For
example, the prime-target pairing lemon-sour would result in faster responding than lemonbus. Additionally, because of the assumed associations of concepts within networks,
activation may spread, not only to directly related concepts, but also to concepts that are more
distant.
Some studies have utilised this and employed an indirect priming condition whereby, for
example, the word lemon activates the related concept sour, which, in turn activates sweet
resulting in lemon priming sweet (see below).
Since the earliest investigation by [79], more than 30 studies of semantic priming in
schizophrenia have emerged. These studies have investigated whether semantic priming is
altered in schizophrenia per se, as well as focussing specifically on patients with the symptom
of thought disorder. Recent meta-analyses have agreed that semantic priming is not
significantly impaired in schizophrenia [80] reported d= 0.07 (in 36 studies in direct
priming) and [13] reported d = 0.028 (in 81 studies combining direct and indirect priming
see below). Reviewing 23 schizophrenia studies, [81] remarked that studies had described
increased, normal and reduced semantic priming, and further that it is presently unclear how
semantic priming disturbances (should they be reliably demonstrated) may be related to
thought disorder as manifested clinically. They also noted that few studies had corrected for
a well-recognised psychometric artefact produced by general slowing of reaction times in
schizophrenia if schizophrenics are simply slower to respond on both the unprimed and
primed versions of the task, this will inflate priming - even if the proportional change is the
same. To take an example, owing to a simple arithmetical artefact: the difference between a
mean reaction time of, say, 900 ms in the unprimed condition and 600 ms in the primed
condition is numerically greater than that for the difference between, say, values 600 ms and
400 ms in controls, even though the proportional increase is the same. [80] directly examined
the latter point in their meta-analysis of 29 priming studies in schizophrenics, where they
reported that general slowing was a significant moderator of effect size (Z=2.82, p=0.004),
with the greater the slowing the greater the amount of priming. This also held true in the
comparison between patients with thought disorder and controls (for 16 studies Z=3.23,
p=0.001). In their original study, [79] used a short primetarget interval or stimulus onset
asynchrony (SOA) of 250 ms, designed to capture the automatic process of spread of
activation in semantic memory. Nonetheless, it is now recognized that slower, so-called
controlled processes, also contribute to the phenomenon of semantic priming; and the basic
priming design has been subjected to many variations with some studies employing long
(>400ms) SOAs (see Table 7). In their meta-analysis, [13] found a significant difference
between the studies that used short SOAs (d =0.17, n=34,) and the studies that used long
SOAs (d=0.06, n=22), although both effect sizes were clearly very small.
Table 6. Main findings from Semantic Priming Studies

Study
Task
Prime (ms)
SOA
Terminated
by saying
100
ISI (ms)
Direct priming
Indirect priming
Aloia et al, 1998 [56]
WP
Barch et al, 1996 [86]
WP
Barch et al, 1999

[119]
Number of
Participants
9TD, 11NTD,
21NC
34TD, 56NTD,
10PC, 28NC
56sz, 25NC
350
WP
LD
100
200/850
Besche-Richards and
Passerieux, 2003
LD
250
250
Besche et al, 1997

[87]
Blum and Freides
1995 [88]
Chapin et al, 1989
LD
250
250
TD group showed less priming than

NTD and NC.
All groups showed at short SOA, but
only controls showed at long SOA
For WP found in NC, but not sz at short
and long SOA For LD found in sz and
NC at short SOA but only NC at long
SOA.
Found in TD and NC when high number
of related pairs but only in NC for low
number of related pairs
Found in NTD and NC but not in TD.
15sz, 15NC
24TD, 10NTD,
15PC, 40NC
10TD, 10NTD,
11HC
12sz, 12PC, 12NC
LD
100
250
Found in TD, NTD and NC.
LD
3500 +TARGET
Found in sz, PC and NC
Chapin, et al, 1992

[94]
Gouzoulis-Mayfrank
et al, 2003
Henik et al, 1992 [96]
LD
3500 +TARGET
Found in NC and sz.
45sz, 15NC
LD
200
500
Found in NC, TD and NTD but greater

in TD
Found in NC and TD at long SOA. TD
showed reduced priming at short SOA.
Increased in sz compared to NC
All groups including TD

showed no evidence
-
60sz, 20NC
LD
140
Henik et al, 1995
LD
140
Manschreck et al,
1988
Moritz et al, 2001a
LD
250
100/
1700
100/
1700
-
16sz, 16NC
Found in TD, NTD and NC. TD fastest

overall
12TD, 6NTD, 9PC,

11NC
16TD, 28NTD,
36PC, 30NC
LD
200
Study
Task
Prime (ms)
ISI (ms)
Direct priming
Moritz et al, 2001b
WP
SOA
200
TD showed greater priming than NC or

PC.
200-950
TD showed enhanced
indirect priming compared
to NC and NTD
Indirect priming
-
22sz, 17NC
Number of
Participants
15TD, 30NTD,
30NC
Study
Task
Prime (ms)
ISI (ms)
Direct priming
Indirect priming
Number of
Participants
Moritz et al, 2002
WP
SOA
200
50
200
Ober et al, 1997
LD
WP
LD
TD showed enhanced
indirect priming compared
to NC and NTD
-
12TD, 20NTD,
65NC
Ober et al, 1995 [95]
Found in NC, NTD and TD when neutral

baseline used. Only in TD and NC when
unrelated baseline used
Found in sz and NC.
60
200/
940
31sz, 20NC
Passerieux et al, 1995
LD
64/240
Found in NC in both conditions. Found in sz

when high number related pairs and long SOA
only.
No sig priming found in any group or condition
17sz, 11NC
Passerieux et al, 1997

[89]
Spitzer et al, 1993a
[90]
LD
450
50
Found in NTD and NC but not in TD.
LD
200
0/500
Spitzer et al, 1993b

[93]
Spitzer et al, 1994 [91]
LD
200
0/500
Found in sz and NC.
LD
200
Found in NTD and NC, greater in TD.
Vinogradov et al, 1992
LD
WP
LD
50
0/200/
500
200
Found in all groups at long

SOA but only TD at short
SOA
Found in sz and NC, but
only sz at short SOA
-
11TD, 11NTD,
11HC
29TD, 21NTD,
32NC
250
Weisbrod et al, 1998

[92]
Found in NC for LD and WP. Only found in sz

for WP.
Found in TD, NTD and NC. Greater in TD
group.
Found in TD only
19sz, 22NC
32sz, 32NC
36TD, 34NTD,
44NC
50sz, 50NC
16TD,
24NTD,38NC
Note. LD: lexical decision WP: word pronunciation ISI: inter stimulus interval SOA: stimulus onset asynchrony NC: normal controls PC: psychiatric controls
TD: thought disordered NTD: non-thought disordered sz: schizophrenic : not examined : examined SOA is time between the presentation of the prime
and the presentation of the target (i.e. prime presentation time + inter stimulus interval).
150
Indirect Semantic Priming

An alternative to the traditional priming paradigm, widely used in the schizophrenia
literature, is indirect priming. In this version of the semantic priming paradigm the target and
prime words are only indirectly related, typically via a mediating word; e.g., lemon sweet
(mediating word sour), black chalk (mediating word white). This experimental design aims
to examine the hypothesis that activation of associations is not just greater than normal in
schizophrenia, but that it extends to associations that are far more distant. This paradigm has
been used particularly to examine whether the odd speech displayed by thought-disordered
patients reflects overactive semantic networks, which would therefore be more sensitive to
indirect priming.
Turning to the relationship with symptoms, Spitzer argues that the priming paradigm
shows conclusive evidence that FTD schizophrenic patients suffer from an increased
activation and/or decreased inhibition of the semantic network [82].
Furthermore, when [83] manipulated the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA: the interval
between onsets of prime and target) thought disordered patients showed an advantage at short
SOA, whereas controls and non thought-disordered patients showed an effect at the longer
SOA. This finding suggests that semantic activation in thought disorder may occur through
normal networks, but reaches distant concepts more quickly since non-thought disordered
patients and normal controls experienced the same priming effect when more time was
allowed for the semantic activation to spread further. In their review of all priming in FTD
[84] identified eight studies examining priming in FTD, and reported a small effect that is in
the opposite direction to that predicted by the increased spreading activation hypothesis.
Indeed, five studies reported hypopriming (i.e. less facilitation on trials using related
pairs than in the comparison group: [85-89] and three reported hyperpriming (i.e. more
facilitation on trials using related word pairs than in the comparison group:[90-92]).
A more recent meta-analysis of nine studies, [80] found d =0.19 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.36),
which although small does represent a significant increase. Crucially however they further
examined six of the nine studies involving comparisons of thought disordered patients and
controls, and in these the effect size was much larger (d=0.56 [95% CI 0.31 to 0.80]). A
fundamental question addressed specifically by the priming literature is whether the semantic
abnormality affects automatic, controlled processing or both.
Crucially, of course, priming studies bypass issues relating to effort or motivation, as
responses are implicit rather than explicit. A myriad of methodological issues surround this
type of task and may influence performance, however.
Therefore, despite the large number of published studies using priming tasks with
schizophrenic patients, drawing any unassailable conclusions from the results is a difficult
venture given the range of objectives, cohorts and methodologies employed. While some
support exists for the notion that automatic, preconscious processing is selectively more
affected [89,93] others have failed to find evidence in favour [94,95].
Nonetheless, since spreading semantic activation theories of language production propose
that speech relies mostly on unconscious, automatic activation, it follows that a symptom
characterised by abnormal speech i.e. FTD, is more likely to be associated with abnormal
automatic semantic memory processing.
Indeed, the studies reported above do provide stronger evidence for a selective
impairment of automatic processing in FTD patients [96,83] than schizophrenia per se.
151
Access Versus Storage Disorders

Researchers into the neuropsychology of semantic memory have used a model proposed
by [97], which proposes two distinct patterns of semantic memory impairment: firstly,
degraded stores type disorder (knowledge is lost), and secondly, impaired accesses type
disorder (knowledge exists, but the retrieval process is compromised).
The criteria for both models are summarised in Table 7. The validity of this distinction
has been occasionally disputed [98]; however, these two patterns of semantic memory
impairment in neurological disorders have achieved wide acceptance in the literature. For
instance, in a study of semantic memory deficit in Alzheimers disease, [67] concluded that
Alzheimers disease is a degraded store type disorder. These conclusions were based on
observation of consistency across different tests (modalities) and level of superordinate
knowledge affected. The access-storage distinction has both theoretical and clinical
implications. A degraded store type disorder will imply loss of the representation, which
means that interventions will be, more or less, damage limitation; and the best one can hope
for is to prevent further loss of the representation.
Table 7. Access and Store Disorders Criteria [after 97]
Store disorder
High consistency with the same
items across time and different
tests.
Access disorder
Inconsistent pattern of performance
across different testing times and task.
Ineffectiveness of priming and

cueing techniques to aid retrieval.
Improved performance with cueing

and priming
Less familiar/frequent items are

lost first; more frequent items
presumably have a larger
representation, which make them
last to be affected.
Item familiarity/frequency effects are

less apparent; as the representation
exists for both familiar and less
familiar items, there is less apparent
difference between assessing frequent
and non-frequent items than in store
disorder.
Subordinate, or attribute
information is especially affected;
as it represents the most specific
and potentially unique information.
By contrast, superordinate
information will be the least and
last affected, as it represents the
most general information processed
and the most represented.
Subordinate attribute knowledge is

likely to be less affected; after
obtaining the superordinate
information, obtaining subordinate
information should be not as much
problem as it is in store disorder,
because the representation still intact.
152
By contrast, in access type disorder the representation is intact and interventions should
target enhancing the access to the representation. Consequently, knowing the type of the
disorder would be very useful in planning interventions for those patients to enable them to
function at their optimal level.
Several studies have described the type of the deficit seen in schizophrenia as one of
accessing semantic information [35,49,90], with patients sometimes being able and at others
are unable to access information. By contrast, others report an actual loss of semantic
knowledge (also-called store type: [37, 99, 100]). A common denominator that emerges is
that studies of relatively young patients point to access type disorder, while studies of older
patients with longer illness duration suggest a picture of degraded store disorder (see Table
8). Of particular interest in this regard, [35] examined verbal fluency consistency across five
times to determine the numbers of shared and unique words to generate an estimate of lexicon
size. Compared to depressed patients and healthy controls, schizophrenics generated fewer
clusters of related words and more words outside of the specified category; however, the
number of variable words did not differ from controls and [35] concluded that the
schizophrenics had impaired access to an intact semantic store.
In relation to symptoms, lower levels of fluency were associated with negative features
and incoherence was associated with the production of inappropriate words neither of which
is surprising given that the symptoms and measures are, to some extent, synonymous. By
contrast, in a replication, [37] reported a reduced size for the lexical-semantic store.
Interestingly, the patients examined by [35] were somewhat younger than those examined by
[37] (mean age 35 vs. 42) and also had a shorter duration of illness thus raising the
possibility that problems of accessing the lexicon may evolve into problems with store itself
as the disorder progresses.
In addition, [101] studied the performance of thirty schizophrenic patients on a lexical
decision task in a semantic priming paradigm. They reported that the length of illness was
associated with reduced priming effect, which is an access criterion. This important
observation raises the possibility that a process may occur by which aging and increased
chronicity alter the clinical picture from meeting the criteria of an access disorder into one
that meets the criteria for a degraded store disorder.
While it remains possible that access and storage disorders exist separately and do not
change across time in patients with schizophrenia, reports consistently point to a store
disorder in older chronic samples and an access disorder in younger less chronic samples (see
Table 8). The possibility that the two types of disorders might represent different stages of the
illness, arguably gains some support from a previous report of a mixed picture of access and
store like profiles that related to overall level of cognitive impairment [102]. They
suggested that, specifically in schizophrenia, patient performance might vary along a
dimension of deficit severity rather than a dichotomous separation of access and store
disorders. This picture of variable performance across a continuous dimension accords more
with a gradual process than a dichotomy model, which indicates two separate categories.
Analysing naming consistency across 2 - 4 months, [17] used a two parameter stochastic
Markov chain model [103] to estimate probabilities for an individual having a named stored
(s) and then for being able to retrieve (r) the item from store1. Interestingly, for the patients,
1
For each subject, two probabilities [r] and [s] were calculated using the stochastic model (Faglioni and Botti,
1993). Probability [r] signifies the likelihood that a stored representation would be accessed and probability [s]
153
intelligence (IQ) significantly influenced storage but not retrieval. Patient length of illness
also significantly influenced both storage and retrieval, indicating a small reduction in the
semantic store in patients with longer illness duration (estimated at approximately 1% store
loss every three years and an additional 1% retrieval loss every 5 years). These findings
indicate that storage and retrieval decline in parallel and in proportion over the course of the
illness rather than, for example, supporting a transition from retrieval problems to storage
problems.
Table 8. Studies of Type of Semantic Memory Deficit
in Schizophrenia according to Age
Study
Test
Type
Spitzer et al, 1993

[93]
Al-Uzri, Laws and
Mortimer 2004 [68]
Allen, Liddle and
Frith, 1993 [35]
Joyce, Collinson and
Crichton 1996 [49]
Rossell and David
2006
Priming
Access
Mean age
(years)
27
Picture naming
Access
34.9
Fluency
Access
35
Fluency
Access
36
Definitions, categorising,
Semantic priming, synonyms
and word associations
Picture naming, consistency,
cueing, familiarity
Store
36.4
Access or storage
depends on level
of deficit
Store
store
41
Largely store
46
Access
51
Similar to
Alzheimer i.e.
Store
Store
64-72
Laws, McKenna and

Kondel, 1998 [102]
Chen et al 2000 [37]
Laws, Leeson and
McKenna, 2006 [4]
Laws, Al-Uzri,
Mortimer, 2000 [106]
Doughty et al, 2008
[70]
McKay et al, 1996
[65]
Kondel et al 2006 [99]
Fluency
Picture naming across
consistency after 2-4 months
Picture naming, frequency,
consistency
Picture Naming, Sorting,
Word-Picture Matching, Camel
and cactus test
Fluency, Picture Naming,
Sorting, Word-Picture
Matching, Definitions
Relearning names with cueing
over 2 months
42.3
43.1
75
reflects the integrity of the semantic store itself. A probability of 1 indicates no impairment. Values for [s] and
[r] probabilities were calculated using the following formulae: Retrieval probability [r] = 2S2/S1+2S2; Storage
probability [s] = S1+2S2 /2r.
154
[4] examined the relationship between formal thought disorder (FTD) and picture
naming. They tested picture naming in 16 schizophrenic patients with high FTD ratings, 16
schizophrenic patients with low FTD ratings and 16 healthy controls. As expected, the two
patient groups had impaired naming, but the impairment was significantly greater in high than
low FTD patients. Moreover, the high FTD patients showed a profile that differed from both
the low FTD patients and the healthy controls insofar as their naming was inconsistent across
time, characteristic of an access disorder. They calculated storage and retrieval probabilities
based on the model outlined earlier[103]. Analysis of the relationships between specific FTD
symptoms and naming revealed several positive FTD symptoms associated with the
probability of name retrieval - including derailment, tangentality and incoherence (with
higher symptom ratings predicting greater difficulties accessing the lexicalsemantics in each
case). Intriguingly, all three symptoms relate to aspects of FTD where words, phrases or ideas
occur in an oblique or unrelated manner. The two other symptoms of FTD (illogicality and
pressure of speech) that were not associated with retrieval probability - are distinct in that
they do not appear to reflect speech that contains words, phrases or ideas that show reduced
associations. Pressure of speech was the only variable that significantly predicted the
estimated number of names stored - such an association is not readily explained by existing
theories of lexicalsemantic dysfunction in FTD such as disorganised activation of the
semantic memory network [62] or increased activation of this network [104]. The authors
speculate that the relationship between pressure of speech and certain lexicalsemantic
processes may be more relevant to another aspect of psychopathology, for example, elevated
mood and it may be that elevated mood is associated with poorer encoding at storage or even
a permanent loss of representations from the lexicalsemantic store. So, it seems that different
aspects of thought disorder symptoms may be underpinned by quite different, albeit related,
lexical-semantics deficits.
With this in mind, models of disorganised activation of the semantic network in patients
with FTD [26,105] may provide an explanation for the findings. [105] describe the erroneous
performance of thought-disordered schizophrenics as the result of local biases that change on
a moment to moment basis. Disorganisation that is not static would probably present as
access disorder-like performance and thus, the access disorder characteristics reported in high
FTD patients [4] accords with this notion of disorganised semantic activation. Moreover, if
one were to attempt to predict the abnormalities in speech that would result from disorganised
activation within the semantic memory network, those where words, phrases or ideas occur in
an oblique or unrelated manner would be obvious candidates.
Access and storage disorders may also map onto the ability of patients to live and
function independently in the community. In the [106] study, which is suggestive of access
type disorder, the sample was largely community dwelling and even the inpatients were in
community-based rehabilitation units, while in the [100] study, a largely store disorder
emerged in the more chronically hospitalised patients. Furthermore, [102] reported that all the
chronically hospitalised patients displayed a store-like profile, and the community dwellingpatients showed an access profile or a mixed picture.
The significance of the access-storage dimension may have important implications for
tailoring care profiles to different types of patients. It also raises a related issue, which is the
possibility that appropriate and speedy intervention in community-dwelling and quite well
patients may impede or stop any transition from access to store like disorder.
155
Executive Function and Inhibition

Several authors have suggested that the boundary knowledge and categorisation
anomalies reported in schizophrenia may reflect a dysexecutive problem rather than a
semantic disturbance per se [51,107]. Executive function is an umbrella term to cover a huge
array of cognitive and behavioural factors. Executive function unquestionably plays a
significant role in both the searching and retrieval of information from semantics. Nowhere is
this clearer than in the studies of fluency (as noted above), where phonemic fluency deficits
are associated with unilateral left frontal damage, and semantic fluency is impacted by both
temporal and frontal lesions, being somewhat larger in the former than the latter [108]. Two
particular aspects of executive functions that may be relevant to semantic functioning here rather than an impairment of the semantic representations themselves (e.g., [107, 109, 111]) are both the ability to shift between semantic categories and the ability to inhibit inappropriate
responses. Whilst inhibition describes a multitude of processes, cognitive and indeed
otherwise (e.g. behavioural), it is pivotal to the control of undesired responses, and this
obviously includes verbal responses as is most apparent on tasks such as the Stroop and the
Hayling Sentence Completion task. In a direct examination of the role of executive function
on categorisation, [110] found that schizophrenia patients performed worse on a variety of
semantic tasks - including sorting - when compared not only to healthy controls, but crucially
to individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) who showed prominent executive
dysfunction. The schizophrenia patients were matched to the ABI group for level of executive
dysfunction and so, [110] argue that the semantic impairment in schizophrenia does not result
from an executive dysfunction. They reported no significant differences between the ABI and
control group on semantic measures and concluded People with acquired brain injury (ABI)
and a prominent executive dysfunction showed intact semantic memory ability (p.177).
Despite this, the brain-injured group was clearly much worse than the control group with
large effect sizes2 and nonsignificant inferential statistics pointing to the study being
underpowered to detect semantic problems in the brain-injured group. We cannot therefore
(from this study) conclude that executive dysfunction plays little or no role in semantic
memory problems.
A large literature, normally viewed as more relevant to executive function than semantic
in schizophrenia, is that involving the Stroop task. While the Stroop task is typically viewed
as a measure of executive function, it undoubtedly involves the inhibition of heightened
automatic lexical-semantic responses; and as such, has relevance to models suggesting that
schizophrenia may be associated with overactive semantic networks (e.g [112]). A recent
meta-analysis of 36 schizophrenia studies revealed a Hedges g of 0.62 for accuracy and 0.43
for response time [113] indicating moderate interference effects. The inhibition of prepotent
or salient lexical-semantic responses are clearly abnormal in schizophrenia and potentially
related to symptoms including hallucinations [114] and thought disorder[112]. Using a novel
Stroop-like paradigm [111] examined the relatedness of prepotent and required responses in
patients with high and low FTD and healthy controls. Participants viewed two visual stimuli
and were required to respond to each with a newly learned name (see Figure 2 below). Six
conditions were examined, with four necessitating the inhibition of a prepotent semantic
2
Naming 0.9; word-picture matching 0.5; sorting -1.0; semantic associations (pictures) 0.97; and semantic
associations (words) 1.0).
156
response while varying the relatedness of prepotent and required responses i.e., identical,
semantically related, or unrelated. Two further conditions examined working memory
demands by requiring the naming of real or abstract pictures that do and do not necessitate
inhibition, respectively. Both the control and the low-FTD groups were significantly slower
when the prepotent response was identical or semantically related to the (incorrect) required
response compared to when they were unrelated.
Condition Working Inhibition
memory
Prepotent and
incorrect required
response
Response
choice
Primes
Required
response
sun
INH1
Yes
Yes
Identical
Semantically
related
moon
book
INH2
Yes
Yes
Identical
Unrelated
car
fork
INH3
Yes
Yes
Semantically related
Unrelated
chair
tree
INH4
Yes
Yes
Unrelated
Unrelated
cat
fox
MEM
Yes
No
dog
cup
NAM
No
No
plate
Figure 2. Inhibition conditions developed by [111].
By contrast, high-FTD patients showed no difference in RT between the identical,

semantically related, or semantically unrelated conditions but made significantly more errors
in the semantically related condition. The pattern of errors shown by high FTD suggested that
they experience the automatic activation or pop-up of semantically related representations
[cf. 115] and [111] interpreted their findings as supporting the notion that increased inhibition
underpins the disorganised access to semantic memory in patients with FTD.
157
Crucially, the findings of [111] were extended by [116] using the same paradigm in a
sample of 41 chronic patients and 25 healthy controls. [116] similarly found that schizophrenia patients were impaired when inhibiting a semantically associated response. Moreover,
they reported that semantic memory performance correlated significantly with psychomotor
poverty (negative) more than disorganisation or reality distortion symptoms [117]. Indeed,
abnormal inhibition underpins models proposing both semantic disorganisation and increased
spreading of activation in schizophrenia. These two models, however, occupy opposing
perspectives - with disorganisation believed to reflect increased inhibition and increased
spreading activation putatively reflecting reduced inhibition. Neither has a clear outcome,
since studies examining inhibition have returned conflicting results with reports of increased
inhibition [118], reduced inhibition [119] and indeed, no evidence for impaired inhibition at
all [120,121]. Reduced cognitive inhibition has long been thought to contribute to the
development of positive symptoms [122] and the filter deficit theory of schizophrenia,
proposed that the deficiency was with the mechanism that "controls and limits the contents of
consciousness" (p. 225). Nonetheless, when specific symptoms, such as FTD have been
examined, the link to abnormal inhibition has been reported by some [e.g.119] and not others
[114]. Similarly, we could view auditory hallucinations as intrusive thoughts that arise
because of some difficulty with inhibition; however, the role of inhibitory processes in
auditory hallucinations has also failed to receive support from studies using negative priming
[123] and interference [124] paradigms. Nonetheless, others have documented a relationship
between auditory hallucinations and inhibition. For example, [114] used the Hayling Sentence
Completion task, where individuals have to complete the last word of a sentence but using a
word that does not make sense e.g. the cat sat on the [light bulb] the task requires voluntarily suppressing active mental representations in semantic memory (i.e. mat). In a later
study employing directed forgetting and updating working memory paradigms, [125] found a
highly specific association between inhibition and hallucinations. They reported no
correlations between their indices of intentional inhibition and either negative or positive
symptoms per se, but did with hallucinations; and they propose that hallucinations reflect
problems in suppressing mnestic representations. The varied findings might relate to the
conceptual distinction drawn between automatic and intentional forms of inhibition [126],
Therefore, any failure of previous studies to establish a relationship between inhibition and
symptoms may be because they have used paradigms assessing automatic inhibition. For
example, hallucinations are clearly consciously experienced mental events and as such, may
reflect abnormal functioning of intentional inhibition processes. This of course contrasts with
priming and the link with symptoms, where automatic effects are seen to link with
symptoms especially FTD. Interestingly [127] had also demonstrated that while FTD was
associated with no difference between related and unrelated priming conditions, patients with
hallucinations showed normal priming. Hence, different symptoms may correspond with
different kinds of inhibition difficulties.
As noted above, a key issue concerns the relationship between semantic memory and the
striking symptomatology associated with schizophrenia (including positive symptoms such
as hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder as well as the negative symptoms of
withdrawal, lack of volition, lack of speech and so on). For some time it has been argued that
individuals with schizophrenia have disturbed knowledge about the world [128] and that
some of their symptoms would seem to be prime candidates to be linked to disorders of
knowledge i.e. a semantic memory abnormality. As outlined above, support for this link does
158
exist with symptoms such as thought disorder [12, 20, 31,129] and delusions [22, 130]. The
number of studies examining the relationship has been surprisingly few and some of the
strongest evidence comes from in-depth single case studies examining associations between
semantic measures and specific symptom types [12,130].
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 8
SEMANTIC MEMORY ASSOCIATED

WITH NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
Keith R Laws1,* and Mohammed M. Al-Uzri2,3
1
School of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, UK

2
Division of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, UK
3
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
ABSTRACT
In the chapter, we present a new study examining semantic memory impairment in
community-based patients with schizophrenia and its symptoms correlates. We tested 73
community-based patients with schizophrenia and 71 healthy controls for a semantic
memory assessment (tests of: category fluency; picture naming; naming-to-description;
sorting; and word-picture matching).We used bootstrap ANCOVA (covarying age,
NART IQ and education) and bootstrap regression techniques to analyse the data. These
relatively well-preserved patients performed within the normal range on some semantic
tests (picture naming, picture sorting and word-picture matching), but were impaired on
others (category fluency and naming-to-description). Negative symptoms were inversely
related to picture sorting, word-picture matching and a composite measure of all five
semantic tests. By contrast, positive symptoms correlated positively only with category
fluency i.e. better fluency with more positive symptoms. The results indicated that
semantic memory deficits in community-based patients were small to moderate and
certainly not common across all tasks. Finally, semantic memory impairment was more
strongly linked to negative than positive symptomatology.
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we present a study examining a series of issues relating to semantic
memory function in people with schizophrenia. We provide a detailed review of the literature
relating to semantic memory and schizophrenia in another Chapter in this book [1] and so,
will only be briefly outline relevant literature here.
*
168
Following the pioneering studies of McKenna and colleagues nearly 20 years ago
[2,3,4,5], reports have increasingly and consistently documented abnormal semantic memory
in schizophrenia across a range of tests, with a recent meta-analysis reporting effects sizes
from 91 published studies [6].
Following Cohens nomenclature (0.2 = small; 0.5 = medium and 0.8 = large), the latter
meta-analysis revealed large effect sizes (ESs) for naming (d=1.45; K=22) and semantic
fluency (d=1.33; K=43); medium ESs for semantic associations (d=0.63; K=6), word-picture
matching (d=0.58; K=6) and categorisation (d=0.49; K=20) and a small ES for priming
(d=0.02; K=81).
Interestingly, the number of studies reporting significant differences does not correspond
with the reported magnitude of effect sizes the number of studies reporting significant
effects was: naming (59%), semantic fluency (93%), categorisation (80%), word-picture
matching (12.5%), associations (50%) and priming (61%). Clearly, mismatches emerge
between the effect sizes and the vote count for significant results reported: for example, the
largest ES was for naming, but less than 60%of studies reported a significant difference;
while for word-picture matching a moderate ES emerges when only 12.5 % of studies
actually reported a difference. Conversely, the ES for priming was non-existent but 61%
reported a significant effect.
The observation that moderate-large effect sizes emerge despite many nonsignificant
individual studies, almost certainly reflects a lack of power in many studies. Meta-analyses
may reach positive conclusions despite negative findings from even the overwhelming
majority of included studies [e.g. see 7]. By contrast, priming effects were significant in over
60% of studies while the effect size was virtually zero. Examining the funnel plot below (See
Figure 1) derived from [20] who also reported a near zero effect size for priming) shows that
comparable numbers of studies report increased (positive ES) and reduced priming (negative
ES) in schizophrenics.
The importance of studying semantic memory in schizophrenia is highlighted by attempts
to link semantic abnormalities with symptomatology [8]. The suggested link stems from the
notion that schizophrenics have abnormal world knowledge [9,10], which is largely
synonymous with semantic memory. In support of this idea, several studies have linked
semantic memory impairment in schizophrenia with symptoms such as thought disorder
[11,12,13,5] and delusions [14,15,16].
For example, [11] reported that two semantic memory tests (the verbal fluency test and
the Peabody Picture Vocabulary test) made significant contribution to predicting the level of
thought disorder. In a similar vein, [15] reported findings indicative of illogical semantic
connections linked to delusions, showing that responses on a silly sentences task were biased
towards the delusional beliefs of patients.
Crucially, in their meta-analysis [6] also looked at the broader relationship between
semantic memory and symptomatology. With regard to picture naming, 8 of 11 studies
reported no significant correlation between clinical symptoms and naming test performance.
For word-picture matching three studies found no significant correlation with symptom
severity [17,18,19]. On classification tasks, two studies have investigated the relationship
between Formal Thought Disorder and categorisation ability - one found a significant
correlation [2] and the other reported no correlation [17].
Semantic Memory Associated with Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
169
140
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
90
0.5
1.0
-1.5
Effect size (d)

Figure 1. Funnel plot of effect sizes
for semantic
in schizophrenia.
a) (ESs)
patients
with priming
schizophrenia
vs controls
In studies of semantic priming (which overall produced a zero effect size), [20] also
examined the effect sized in patients with and without thought disorder. The effect size for 14
studies which compared patients without thought disorder with controls yielded an effect size
of 0.00, while 18 studies that compared patients thought disordered patients with normal
controls was 0.16, indicating significantly increased (albeit small) priming. As can be seen
attempts to link semantic memory to symptoms have been quite sporadic, with some
emphasis on thought disorder.
Several studies have described the type of the deficit seen in schizophrenia as one of
accessing semantic information [21, 22, 23], with patients being able to access information
intermittently. By contrast, others report an actual loss of semantic knowledge [24, 25, 26] (a
so-called store type) that results in a consistent inability to retrieve information. A common
denominator that emerges from such studies is that relatively young patients tend to havean
access type disorder, while studies of older patients with longer illness duration suggest a
picture of a degraded knowledge store [1]. Furthermore, access and storage disorders may
well map onto the ability of patients to live and function independently in the community. In
the [17] study, which was suggestive of access type disorder, the sample was largely
community dwelling and even the inpatients were in community-based rehabilitation units,
while in the [26] study, a largely store disorder emerged in more chronically hospitalised
patients.
At the extreme end of the illness duration spectrum, [25] examined naming and name
relearning in 10 schizophrenics with extremely long illness durations (mean =45.5 years).
Compared to 18 Alzheimer patients and 27 healthy elderly controls, the schizophrenics (69%
correct) were as anomic as the AD patients (63%) while controls scored near ceiling (96%) at
naming 64 simple everyday items (e.g. chair, bike and dog). Moreover, in a second part of the
study, Kondel and colleagues attempted to retrain the names of the unnamed items to each
patient on a weekly basis for four weeks. While the elderly schizophrenic patients showed
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
Effect size
b) patients with th
vs contr
170
some short-term improvement in naming, the gains were not retained when rested one-month
after retraining had finished. This study of semantic memory function in this examination of a
unique elderly cohort of schizophrenia patients clearly showed that the degree of semantic
impairment is comparable to that seen in dementing patients and like, AD patients
unresponsive to attempts at relearning. The significance of the access-storage dimension may
have important implications for tailoring care profiles and (cognitive) rehabilitation programs
to different types of patients. It also raises a related issue, which is the possibility that
appropriate and speedy intervention in community-dwelling and relatively well patients may
impede or halt any potential transition from access to store like disorder.
Indeed, using a case study approach, [12] the extremely thought disordered patient TC
who showed a significant semantic memory impairment. On neurocognitive testing, TC's
naming (production) was inconsistent across time as was his language comprehension
resulting from impaired access to word meaning. They concluded that TCs deficits reflected
a disorder of semantic access rather than a degradation of the semantic knowledge base itself.
Five years later, TC showed a remarkable improvement in his thought disorder symptoms and
begun to speak rationally without immediately drifting off into unrelated topics. [27]
therefore re-administered the same test battery of tests to TC and his comprehension of
language showed a marked and significant improvement with the remitting of his major
symptom. Although TCs naming did not improve, he did become more consistent. Together
these two studies show that psychotic symptoms and semantic problems may be causally
linked. Moreover, some aspects of the semantic disorder appear to be state related (to the
symptoms),while others may be described better as traits of schizophrenia per se.
Two further studies, using a battery based approach, have compared semantic memory
function in schizophrenics and patients with Alzheimers disease. [4] used the Cambridge
Semantic Memory Test Battery (CSM), which consists of five tests [see 28, developed by 29]:
picture naming, picture sorting, word-picture matching, naming to definition and category
fluency. They found that, on many of the semantic tests, elderly schizophrenics performed at
a level comparable to that of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimers disease. Two further
schizophrenic groups - a mild group who had relapsing and remitting episodes (but were able
to live independently) and a core group who were younger (but had unremitting illness) - also
showed semantic memory deficits. As expected, the deficits were less severe in the mild
group, with the core group displaying impairment intermediate between the elderly and mild
groups, thus highlighting the potentially crucial role played by severity and chronicity of
illness in the level of semantic memory impairment.
In a further study using the CSM, [30] compared a group of 20 schizophrenia patients
with 22 Alzheimer's Dementia (AD).and 15 elderly healthy controls. While the profile of AD
patients indicated marked impairment across all tests, the profile for chronic schizophrenics
was more uneven. Based on this, and in contrast to [25] and [4], Doughty and colleagues
argued that the semantic impairment in schizophrenia patients is unlikely to result from a
degraded store. On subordinate sorting and the Camel and Cactus pictures and words1 test,
schizophrenics produced error rates significantly greater that healthy controls and did not
differ from the AD group. By contrast, for picture naming, wordpicture matching and
superordinate category sorting, AD patients made significantly more errors than schizo1
This task is similar to the Pyramids and Palm Trees test requiring participants to match a target picture or name
with one of two distracters e.g. Camel goes with Cactus or Fir Tree
171
phrenic patients, who performed at a level similar to that of the healthy controls; however,
substantial ceiling effects existed on these tests2. Doughty and colleagues proposed that the
uneven profile in the schizophrenia group does not accord with a degraded semantic store
disorder (as per the consistent and widespread impairment in the AD group). Nevertheless, as
noted, this conclusion may be somewhat premature given the ceiling effects on several tests
preventing the finding of any impairment being revealed some tests. At a general level, the
presence of ceiling effects on such tasks stems inevitably from their being primarily devised
for use with those who have dementia3. Nevertheless, comparisons with controls are
invariably required and so, analyses will be detrimentally affected by the ceiling effect
(regardless of transforming the data or the use of nonparametric statistics which reduce power
and makes the use of covariates complex). One solution, however, is through the use of
boostrapping techniques and we will return to these later.
Previous cohort-based studies of semantic memory in schizophrenia have limited their
representativeness. Second, as noted, studies have often used single measures of semantic
memory functioning (e.g. picture naming), which if the profile is inconsistent will
produce potentially misleading inferences regarding semantics in schizophrenia. By contrast,
semantic batteries provide a more comprehensive view of the components of semantic
memory. Third, the performance of controls has often been at or close to ceiling on some
semantic memory tasks (e.g. word-picture matching), and therefore represent a challenge to
the way the emerging data may be analysed and also likely to produce spuriously large effect
sizes because of the small standard deviations. Finally, as suggested above [and see 1] the
type of semantic memory impairment can vary across patients with schizophrenia along
various dimensions e.g. length of illness. For example, [31] noticed that the type of
impairment reported in studies of community-based sample was different to that of
chronically hospital based ones [32]. For these reasons, this current study was designed to be
population-based, using a robust statistical method and focusing on community-based
patients.
METHODS
Participants
We identified 190 patients who were potentially eligible for testing (see Figure 1 for flow
chart describing recruitment). Of those not eligible, two did not fulfil strict diagnostic criteria
for schizophrenia, one died before testing, five had a diagnosis of substance misuse, eight had
a history of organic brain disease/head injury, thirty were over age 60 years, and for eleven
English was not their first language. Of the 133 eligible patients, 60 declined to take part,
leaving 73 (55%) patients who were eligible and volunteered to take part in the study. All
patients who took part in the study were stable and living in the community except one who
was an inpatient at the time of the study.
2
Indeed, the authors removed control data from their analyses for this reason; and used a log-linear transform of the
patient data
3
Given that neuropsychologists are typically looking at a performance profile across a range of tests and so, it is
crucial to know if the pattern mirrors or deviates from that expected in healthy normal individuals (see Laws
2005 for striking examples)
172
Figure 1.Flow chart of patient selection for the study.
Table 1. Comparison between Patients who participated

or refused to take part in the study
Age
Age illness onset (yrs)
Illness duration (yrs)
Inpatient stays (weeks)
Education
Gender M:F
Accommodation*
Employment**
AnticholinergicsYes:No
Antipsychotic treatment***
Participants(n=73)
39.4(11.7)
27.2 (7.9)
669 (545.6)
185.7(322.7)
13.6(2.7)
42:31
17:18:27:10:1
Refused (n=60)
40.3 (9.6)
25.7(7.3)
752.9(427.5)
217.0(208.3)
12.23(2.5)
35:25
21:11:18:7:3
27:46
37:24:8:4
22:37
29:22:6:2
t-value
t=-0.50
t=1.07
t=-.94
t=-.61
t=2.96
0.01
4.21
10.03
0.25
0.09
p
ns
ns
ns
ns
p=.004
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Note. *Accommodation = independent: with partner: with parents: supported: residential

**Employment = Standard Occupational Classification 2000
***Antipsychotic treatment = atypical: typical: mixed: antipsychotic free
We compared the known socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who

participated in the study and those who did not take part (see Table 1). Those characteristics
included; age, gender, years in education, accommodation, employment status, medication
prescribed, age of onset, length of inpatient stay and illness duration. There were no
significant differences between the groups apart from the study participants having more
years in education.
173
Table 2. Demographic details for Schizophrenia Patients and Healthy Controls
Sex (M:F)
Age
NART IQ
Education (years)
Illness duration (weeks)
SAPS
SANS
Patients (n=73)
42:31
39.4 (11.70)
112.66 (6.50)
13.61 (2.69)
669.01 (545.65)
4.10 (3.70)
3.96 (4.58)
Controls (n=71)
38:33
34.4 (12.40)
115.46 (6.47)
14.89 (3.52)
2 = 0.31, ns
t=2.48, p=.014
t=2.49, p=.014
t=2.46, p=.015
Note. SDs in parentheses
The controls lived in the same city and were recruited by adverts in the local hospital,
university and supermarkets. They had no history of mental illness and shared the same
exclusion criteria as the patients. The demographic information of the patients (n=73) who
took part in the study and that of controls (n=71) are summarised in Table 2.
PROCEDURE
Semantic Battery
We assessed participants on five tests (picture naming, picture sorting, and word-picture
matching tests) from the Cambridge Semantic Memory Battery [29, 30]. The battery assesses
input to and output from central representational knowledge about the same group of items
through both visual and verbal modalities. Each test contains the same 48 items chosen to
represent three categories of animals (land animals, sea creatures and birds; n=24) and three
categories of man-made items (household items, vehicles and musical instruments; n= 24).
Items were matched on prototypicality within each semantic category: exemplars were chosen
to represent the range from highly prototypical (e.g. desk, guitar, lion), to atypical (e.g.
rocking chair, French horn, racoon). Participant scores were determined by their correct
answers and there was no time limit for responding.
Category fluency. Subjects were asked to generate as many items as they could from the
category of animals in one minute.
Picture naming. Subjects were shown 48 cards of drawings of different items presented
in turn, and asked to name them.
Naming to description. Subjects were given a description of 24 different living and man
made items and were asked to give the name.
Picture sorting. Subjects asked to sort the same 48 cards (used in the picture naming task)
into: (a) Level one (superordinate) - living (24 items) vs. manmade (24items); (b) Level two
(categories) - the living items into land animals, birds, and water creatures, the manmade
items into household items, musical instruments and vehicles; and (c) Level three
(subordinate) - the land animals into native vs. foreign to Britain, and the household items
into electrical vs. non-electrical items.
Word to picture matching. The subjects were given the names of each of the 48 items and
asked to point to the named item from an array containing the six items in the same category.
174
Pre-Morbid Intelligence
The National Adult Reading Test (NART) was used to estimate pre-morbid intelligence
[33].
Clinical Assessment
Patient symptoms were assessed using the Scales for the Assessment of Negative
Symptoms and Positive Symptoms [34] (SANS and SAPS, respectively). Antipsychotic
dosages were converted to the Percentage of Maximum Dose (PMD) according to the British
National Formulary [35] in order to investigate associations between dosage and
neuropsychological test performance. This method of comparing antipsychotic potency is
considered more reliable than using chlorpromazine equivalents [36].
RESULTS
For the control data, we calculated skewness and kurtosis statistics (g1 and g2
respectively) and also the DAgostino-Pearson omnibus test for normality [37], which uses
both g1 and g2 as input, was calculated to determine if the distributions differed significantly
from normality. All distributions (except for category fluency) deviated significantly from
normality in controls (see Table 3).
Table 3. Skew and distribution for healthy controls on semantic measures
Category Fluency
Picture naming
Naming to description
Category sorting
Word-Picture matching
Skewnessg1
Kurtosis g2
0.2
-1.4
-1.8
-0.8
-4.6
-0.2
2.3
4.50
-0.01
25.3
DAgostino- Pearson
Omnibus test K2
0.94
23.9
36.5
7.8
101.8
p
.62
<.0001
<.0001
.02
<.0001
As with all previous studies using this battery, controls perform near ceiling for picture
naming, naming-to-description, sorting and comprehension. In this context, the data was
analyzed using randomization re-sampling techniques rather than standard parametric
analyses. We therefore used bootstrap methods because they require fewer assumptions about
the distribution of the responses and represent a useful approach for data that are heavily
skewed distributions, have unequal variances across groups, and/or multiple zero errors for
controls [see 38]. We ran a series of bootstrap ANCOVA analyses (using education, NART
IQ and age as covariates). We created 1000 bootstrap samples, each equal in size to the
original sample, by randomly resampling with replacement from the original patient data. For
each bootstrap sample, an observation was selected at random to be included in the sample
and then made available to be selected again for that same sample. A bootstrap sample may
175
contain several copies of one data point and none for another data point. Then, for each of the
1000 bootstrap samples, the statistic (in this case F for ANCOVA) is recomputed and a
distribution of test statistics is created. This distribution of results is then compared to the
original result and declared significant if it is amongst the most extreme 5%. We ran
ANCOVA analyses for each of the semantic memory tests (category fluency, picture naming,
naming to definition, picture sorting and word-picture matching). The adjusted means for all
comparisons are presented in Table 4. Significant group differences emerged for category
fluency and naming-to-description.
Table 4. Semantic Memory performance for Schizophrenic Patients and Controls
Test
Category fluency
Picture naming
(n=48)
Naming to
description (n=24)
Picture Sorting
(n=120)
Word-picture
matching (n=48)
Patient (n=73)
Mean (95% CI)
17.81 (16.7 -19.4)
45.64 (44.9 to 46.2)
Control(n=71)
Mean (95% CI)
21.63 (20.2 to 23.1)
45.70 (44.4 to 46.4)
ANCOVA
F=15.3,p<.01
F=1.7, p=.41
0.43
0.13
20.89 (20.1 to 21.5)
21.96 (21.3 to 22.4)
F=9.4 ,p=.03
0.37
116.16 (114.5 to
117.7)
47.73 (47.1 to 48.2)
116.15 (112.7 to
117.4)
47.48 (46.0 to 47.9)
F=3.4, p=.23
0.20
F=2.9, p=.29
0.18
Note.Adjusted mean (and 95% confidence intervals)
Regression Analyses and Simple Correlations

We examined the relationship between patient demographic/clinical variables and
performance on each of the five semantic memory tests. We also calculated a composite
semantic memory score by standardizing (Z-scores) for all five measures within the sample of
schizophrenia patients and taking the average of these measures as a proxy for semantic
memory function per se. We ran the 1000 bootstrap regression analyses for each dependent
variable using age, NART IQ, education, SAPS, SANS, percentage maximum dose, length of
illness as predictors. Table 5 displays the results of regression analyses. Analysis of the semipartial correlations within the patient group revealed that neither medication (% of maximum
dose) nor age was related to any of the five semantic memory tests. By contrast, NART IQ
was related to picture naming and duration of illness was related to category sorting
performance. Positive symptoms (SAPS) were positively correlated with category fluency;
and negative symptoms (SANS) were negatively related to category fluency, category sorting
and word-picture matching i.e. all semantic tasks except those involving naming. For the
composite measure of semantic memory, only SANS was a significant predictor, accounting
for almost 11% of the variance in test performance. We also performed simple correlations
between semantic memory measures and more specific symptom ratings (see Table 6). This
revealed that the association with negative symptoms largely reflects the fact that alogia and
affective flattening correlated negatively and significantly with every semantic measure.
176

Table 5. Semi-partial Correlations and r2 values
Age
NART
Education
Duration of
Illness
Percent max
dose
Positive
symptoms
Negative
symptoms
Multiple r2
Category
Fluency
-.11
.10
.34**
.02
Picture
Naming
.01
.34**
.07
-.06
Name
to Des
.19
.31**
.05
-.21
Category
Sorting
.02
.18
.05
-.25*
W-P
Match
-.21
.17
-.06
-.00
Composite
Semantic
-.03
.23
.11
-.16
-.06
.07
.17
-.03
.02
.00
.31**
.05
-.04
.08
.23
.17
-.26*
-.16
-.15
-.33**
-.40**
-.33*
.23
p=0.05
.29
p=0.02
.27
p=0.02
.28p=0.02
.42
p=0.01
.38
p<0.001
Note. *=p<.05, **=p<.01
Table 6. Correlations between Patient Symptoms

and Semantic Test performance (n=73)
Positive symptoms
SAPS
Hallucinations
Delusions
Bizarre behaviour
Thought Disorder
Negative symptoms
SANS
Inappropriate affect
Affect flattening
Alogia
Avolition/apathy
Anhedonia/asocialiy
Attention
Category
Fluency
Picture
naming
Naming
to des
Picture
Sorting
WP
match
Composite
Semantic
.03
.12
.11
.34**
-.04
.04
-.15
.22
-.09
-.06
-.16
.20
.03
-.06
-.40**
.18
.17
.12
-.02
.00
.03
.03
-.20
.25*
.00
-.26*
-.29*
-.18
-.10
-.21
.14
-.25*
-.28*
-.06
-.09
-.19
-.09
-.25*
-.25*
-.07
- .04
-.41**
.02
-.48**
-.42**
-.22
-.22
-.37**
.10
-.39**
-.36**
-.24
-.18
-.19
.05
-.42**
-.44**
-.18
-.15
-.40**
Note.** <.01; * <.05
CONCLUSION
As far as we are aware, this is the first study to examine semantic memory in a
community-based population of patients with schizophrenia. Our main findings were that
community based patients with schizophrenia showed significant impairment on two of the
five semantic tasks (category fluency and naming-to-description), but performed within the
177
normal range on tests of picture naming, category sorting and word-picture matching.
Additionally, examination of the relationship between symptoms and semantic memory
performance revealed a significant role for negative symptoms in semantic memory test
performance (for three of the five tasks: category fluency, category sorting and word-picture
matching). By contrast, naming ability as measured by picture naming and naming-todescription were better predicted by the premorbid factors of educational attainment and
estimated premorbid IQ. Given the catchment-based population approach to recruitment used
here, we would suggest that the current study provides a good estimate of semantic memory
deficits in community dwelling patients with schizophrenia. The patients who did and did not
consent to take part in the study shared almost all demographic and clinical characteristics,
although those who participated had significantly more years of education. Therefore, this
study can be considered as the closest to a prevalence design when taking various
methodological obstacles facing studies of cognitive functions into consideration.
The semantic memory deficits are not attributable to simple differences between patients
and controls in terms of age, estimated premorbid IQ or education (all of which were covaried
in the analyses). NART IQ was positively correlated with picture naming and naming-todescription inpatients; however, this is quite a normal profile seen in controls and similarly
with the positive correlation between education and semantic fluency. We were also able to
show that medication (as measured by percentage maximum dose) was not significantly
related to semantic memory performance and that duration of illness was modestly correlated
with category sorting performance. By contrast, however, negative symptomatology was
widely and significantly correlated with semantic memory measures.
In the context of previous studies examining semantic memory function in patients with
schizophrenia, the level and range of semantic memory impairment reported here was quite
low. Indeed, on three tasks, the patients performed within the normal range; and where
patients did perform significantly worse than healthy controls, the differences although
significant were small-moderate (as indicated by effect sizes). This contrasts with previous
studies (some using the same battery e.g. [4] showing significant impairment on exactly the
same tasks, but at a level that was almost indistinguishable from that of patients with
Alzheimers disease. Nonetheless, the patients examined by [4] were chronically hospitalised
schizophrenics, while our sample of patients are possibly at the other end of the continuum,
living in the community, experiencing low levels of symptoms and with approximately 30%
being in employment.
We assessed semantic memory in various ways (production, reception, verbal and visual
input) and the resulting dissociations across tasks accords with the idea that some components
of semantic memory are more affected than others in schizophrenia. In particular, while
category fluency and naming-to-description were significantly impaired, the remaining three
tasks (picture naming, picture sorting and word-picture matching) failed to reveal any
significant differences. This is consistent with a recent report suggesting that naming-todescription might be an early marker for semantic memory impairment in schizophrenia [32].
Unlike picture naming, naming-to-description requires patients to hold and process
information within working memory as well then accessing semantic memory and then derive
the name (if stored). Such online processing is complex and failure could emanate from a
variety of sources between input and output. The fact that naming-to-description was
unrelated to positive symptomatology indicates that the possible intrusion and distraction
provided by hallucinations or delusions do not account for performance. Rather naming-to-
178
description was significantly related to negative symptomatology including alogia, affective

flattening and crucially, attention problems - thus supporting the idea that it may be an input
problem i.e. patients may not be able to make the required effort to encode (or retrieve) or
cannot hold the information online (in working memory) sufficiently for deriving the name.
Only one measure of semantic memory - category fluency - was related to the global
measure of positive symptoms (with increased positive symptomatology leading to better
fluency), and fluency was also significantly inversely related to negative symptoms [cf. 39].
Studies have often reported significant correlations between negative symptom scores and
executive impairment [e.g. 40] and this association is substantiated by a meta-analysis of 40
studies of various fluency measures, which revealed a correlation of -.27 [39].
The correlations between semantic memory and the positive symptoms of delusions and
hallucinations were nonsignificant and largely close to zero. The lack of an association
between semantics and both delusions and hallucinations is somewhat surprising.
Nonetheless, as with previous work, thought disorder was significantly and positively
correlated with category fluency [cf. 41]. The small number of functional imaging studies
examining formal thought disorder [42] has implicated the temporal lobes and again, this
would accord with a semantic problem. Indeed, other lines of evidence reviewed above
primarily from picture naming - suggest that formal thought disorder is associated with an
impairment affecting access to the semantic knowledge system [e.g. 11, 43, 33, 13, 23].
Finally, the composite measure of semantic memory was significantly related to negative
symptomatology and indeed, affective flattening and alogia (i.e. poverty of speech, poverty of
content of speech, blocking, and increased latency of response: see [44]) correlated negatively
with all five semantic memory measures. This confirms an earlier report of an association
between some negative symptoms (alogia) and semantic memory function in schizophrenia
[45]. It is also consistent with reports that the semantic memory deficit and negative
symptoms may have the same underlying substrate. [22] argued This discrete association
indicates that impaired verbal fluency and alogia reflect a dysfunction of the same cognitive
process which is normally involved in gaining access to semantic knowledge and, on the
above argument, is possibly mediated by frontostriatal systems. (p.46). As noted in our
review [1 this volume] executive functions undoubtedly contribute to the semantic memory
problems seen in some schizophrenics (via increased inhibition, the role of executive
processes in strategic retrieval, possibly working memory and so on); however, a more pure
semantic disorder does also exists in some patients. Future research needs to address these
varied influences and the relationship with symptomatology.
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 9
FAMILY WORK FOR FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS:

A SERVICE DELIVERY PROTOCOL
Nicholas J. K. Breitborde1 and Vinod H. Srihari2
1
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, US

2
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, US
FAMILY WORK FOR FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS:

A SERVICE DELIVERY PROTOCOL
There is growing international support for the benefits of early intervention for psychotic
disorders. Clinical services organized around the principal of providing comprehensive
phase-specific care and/or reducing the duration between the onset of psychotic symptoms
and the receipt of treatment have shown promise with regard to producing better clinical
outcomes for individuals with first-episode psychosis [Bertelsen et al., 2008; Melle et al.,
2008]. The success of such clinical programs has sparked major health services reform
throughout the world, including the development of a national early intervention service
network in the UK [Joseph and Birchwood, 2005] and the dedication of 40 million dollars by
the US National Institute of Mental Health for the completion of the Recovery After an Initial
Schizophrenic Episode (RAISE) initiative [National Institute of Mental Health, 2009].
When providing care to individuals with first-episode psychosis, it is imperative to
consider their caregiving relatives. Family members typically provide a plethora of resources
and services to facilitate the recovery process of their ill relative (e.g., provision of emotional
and/or financial support, assistance with obtaining and maintaining competitive employment,
managing psychiatric care visits, etc.). While family members caring for a relative with a
chronic illness may experience certain rewards associated with the caregiving process (e.g.,
feelings of gratification and mastery as well as increased intimacy with their ill relative [Chen
and Greenberg, 2004; Heru, 2000]), unfortunately, there are also many negative outcomes
commonly associated with the familial caregiving, including feelings of grief and loss
[Magliano et al., 1998; Miller, 1996], financial strain [Arno, Levine, and Memmott, 1999;
Kuipers, 1993], restrictions in leisure activities [Magliano et al., 1998; Mller-Leimkhler,
2005], and worse physical and mental health outcomes [Breitborde, Lpez, and Kopelowicz,
184
2010; Gallagher and Mechanic, 1996] including premature mortality [Schulz and Beach,
1999]. Consequently, incorporating family members within the clinical care provided by an
early intervention service has several potential benefits. First, given the key role that familial
caregivers play in the recovery process from psychotic disorders, assisting them in the
completion of their caregiving duties may promote better outcomes among their ill relatives.
Moreover, addressing the needs of caregivers within a clinical service for first-episode
psychosis may have broader public health implications. Specifically, reducing the strain that
often accompanies the caregiving process may result in reductions in morbidity (and
potentially mortality) among caregivers themselves.
Within the past thirty years, a number of professionally-led clinical programs have been
developed to assist families caring for a relative with a psychotic illness [e.g., Anderson,
Reiss, and Hogarty, 1986; Falloon et al., 1985; McFarlane et al., 1995; Mueser and
Glynn, 1999]. Typically referenced with the umbrella term family psychoeducation, these
programs provide individuals and caregiving relatives with:
(i) Information with regard to etiology, symptoms, course, and treatment of psychotic
disorders;
(ii) Tools to promote better clinical outcomes; and
(iii) Coping strategies to reduce the difficulties associated with living with psychosis or caring
for a relative with psychosis [McFarlane, Dixon, Lukens, and Lucksted, 2003].
To date, multiple clinical trials of family psychoeducation have been completed, and it is
clear that participation in these interventions is associated with a reduced risk of symptomatic
relapse and rehospitalization among individuals with psychosis [Baucom, Shoham, Mueser,
Daiuto, and Stickle, 1998; Pilling et al., 2002; Pitschel-Walz, Leucht, Buml, Kissling, and
Engel, 2001]. Moreover, participation in family psychoeducation is associated with
reductions in caregiver burden and distress as well as improvements in overall family
functioning and the relationship between the individual with psychosis and their caregiving
relative [Cuijpers, 1999].
To date, the majority of studies of family psychoeducation among families caring for a
relative with psychosis have focused on individuals with chronic psychotic disorders. This
raises the possibility that the effective delivery of these services in the context of a recent
onset psychotic disorder in a younger individual may require adaptation of the original
models. For instance, although there are many shared concerns among caregiving relatives of
individuals with psychotic disorders, recent work by Addington and colleagues [Addington,
Addington, Jones, and Ko, 2001; Addington and Burnett, 2004; Addington, Collins,
McCleery, and Addington, 2005] has highlighted the unique needs of individuals caring for a
relative with first-episode psychosis. As many individuals with first-episode psychosis can
achieve symptomatic remission with adequate initial treatment [Lieberman et al., 1993;
Perkins et al., 2004], family members of individuals with first-episode psychosis may
particularly benefit from guidance and support in fostering responsibility and action on the
part of their ill relative in managing her or his own recovery [Addington et al., 2001;
Addington and Burnett, 2004]. This is in contrast to family caregivers of individuals with
chronic psychotic disorders who often report wanting greater assistance in their personal
efforts to manage aspects of their ill relatives care and recovery [Askey, Holmshaw, Gamble,
and Gray, 2009; Winefield and Harvey, 1994]. Likewise, caregivers of patients with first-
Family Work for First-Episode Psychosis
185
episode psychosis may not benefit from the provision of disorder-specific information
[Addington et al., 2001] given the diagnostic ambiguity that is often present early in the
course a psychotic disorder [Amin et al., 1999; Schwartz et al., 2000; Whitty et al., 2005].
Rather, it may be best to present these caregivers with information geared specifically toward
the specific cluster of symptoms experienced by their ill relative (e.g., auditory hallucinations,
depressed mood, etc.) while simultaneously attending to and normalizing any anxiety that
these caregivers may experience due to the lack of a definitive diagnosis.
Developing an effective delivery system for family psychoeducation for first-episode
psychosis is further complicated by variation among families with regard to both their need
for psychoeducation as well as their desire to participate in a family psychoeducation
program. A sizeable proportion of families decline or withdraw from formal psychoeducation
programs [Glynn, Cohen, and Niv, 2007; Tarrier, 1991]. In an early review of family psychoeducation programs, Smith and Birchwood [1990] found that across studies 13.5% (median)
of families refused to participate in the intervention and an additional 11% (median) withdrew
from treatment. More recent studies have reported even higher rates ( 40%) of refusal and/or
non-adherence to family interventions [McCreadie, Phillips, Harvey, Waldron, and et al.,
1991; Montero, Asencio, Ruiz, and Hernndez, 1999; Szmukler et al., 2003], and there is
preliminary evidence that the same may be true for familial caregivers of individuals with
first-episode psychosis. For instance, among participants in one of the premier clinical
services for first-episode psychosis in the world (i.e., the Calgary Early Psychosis Program:
[Addington and Addington, 2001]), 20% of families decline to participate in a family
psychoeducation program and 37% of those who do participate drop out of the intervention
prior to its completion [Addington et al., 2005]. The inability to successfully engage these
families is problematic given that individuals with psychosis whose families decline to
participate in family psychoeducation programs may be at greater risk for negative clinical
outcomes (e.g., symptomatic relapse [Tarrier, 1991]).
Several recent studies have noted that not all family members caring for a relative with a
psychotic disorder may need to participate in formal family psychoeducation programs
[Cohen et al., 2008; Mottaghipour and Bickerton, 2005--see also Bickerton, Hense, Benstock,
Ward, and Wallance for an example outside of the psychosis literature]. For instance, whereas
certain families caring for a relative with a psychotic illness may require participation in a
formalized family psychoeducational intervention to relieve their distress, other families may
require a less intensive intervention (e.g., a single informational session on psychosis) to
achieve the same reduction in distress. Consequently, such studies have devised programs of
family work in which individuals with psychotic disorders and their caregiving relatives
have the option of progressing through increasingly intensive family interventions ranging
from brief education on psychosis to participation in formal psychoeducational interventions.
This progression is stopped once the familys distress is alleviated, resulting in a clinical
delivery system in which not all families would progress to the more intensive interventions
(e.g., family psychoeducation). In support of such a model, Cohen and colleagues [2008]
draw on the principle of sufficiency--a ethical concept most famously outlined by the
philosopher Harry Frankfurt [1987; 1997]arguing that the most appropriate manner in
which to distribute a valuable but limited good across individuals (in this case, psychiatric
care) is to provide each individual with just enough of that good to prevent the occurrence of
a negative outcome. Translated to family work for psychotic disorders, the sufficiency
principle suggests that the provision of family services should be guided by the goal of
186
providing each family with the least intensive intervention that will alleviate current distress
and reduce the likelihood of future negative outcomes (e.g., continued distress for the
caregiver or worsening of symptoms for the individual with psychosis). Applying this ethical
construct to the delivery of medical services may reduce the costs by preventing the
inappropriate overuse of expensive and intensive services [Shapiro, Lasker, Bindman, and
Lee, 1993], and may also be consistent with the goals of caregiving relatives. For instance,
familial caregivers of individuals with psychosis have noted that it is problematic both to
receive too much or too little information from mental health professionals about psychosis
and their ill relatives care [Askey et al., 2009]. This suggests that caregivers, too, prefer
family interventions that are only as intensive as needed to address their specific needs.
Thus, the goal of this paper is to outline a service delivery protocol for family work
developed over a two year period at the Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP)
Program. Drawing on past service delivery protocols for psychotic disorders [e.g., Cohen et
al., 2008; Mottaghipour and Bickerton, 2005], this service delivery protocol outlines the
provision of stepped-care for families specifically caring for a relative with first-episode
psychosis. Ultimately, this service delivery system may serve as an example for other clinical
services for first-episode psychosis.
The STEP Program: A Clinical Service for First-Episode Psychosis

The Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP) Program is a collaboration
between Yale University and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services [Srihari et al., 2009]. Located in the Connecticut Mental Health Center, STEP is
designed to determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive early
intervention service based in the US public-sector. The components of the complex
intervention include medication management, case management, family psychoeducation, and
group cognitive-behavioral therapy. Individuals eligible to receive clinical services at the
STEP program must be:
(i) Between the ages of 16-45;
(ii) Meet criteria for a psychotic disorder or affective disorder with psychotic features based
on the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID: First, Spitzer, Gibbon, and
Williams, 2002);
(iii) Have had no more than 12 weeks of lifetime treatment with antipsychotic medication;
and
(iv) Be willing to receive treatment at the Connecticut Mental Health Center.
Individuals are not eligible to receive clinical services at STEP if they are:
(i) Suffering from a substance-induced psychotic disorder or severe cognitive limitation; or
(ii) Unable to provide informed consent to participate in the research activities associated
with the STEP Program.
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Figure 1. Family Work Model at the Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP) Program.
Within the STEP Program, we have developed a program which provides families with
the opportunity to personalize their levels of participation in family services based on their
needs. The components of this model draw largely from the seminal multifamily group
psychoeducation program developed by William McFarlane [McFarlane, 2002; McFarlane et
al., 1995] which, in turn, is based on the family psychoeducation programs created by
Anderson and colleagues [1986] and Falloon and colleagues [1985]. This decision was
informed by past research indicating that this intervention may be particularly beneficial
for individuals with first-episode psychosis [McFarlane, 2002] as well as the successful
implementation of this family psychoeducation program within exemplary first-episode
clinical research programs [Bertelsen et al., 2008; Fjell et al., 2007]. However, as depicted in
Figure 1, our model of family work provides families with the opportunity to participate in
the STEP program with varying levels of intensity depending on their needs and interests.
Moreover, consistent with existing recommendations [Rossberg et al., 2010], we have made a
number of modifications to the McFarlane multifamily group model to increase its
applicability for families caring for a relative who is early in the course of a psychotic
disorder. Below, we outline the components of each level of the model.
Orientation to the STEP Program

Within the STEP Program, we have designated a specific individual (i.e., the Project
Director) to oversee the family work component of the clinical service. The Project Director
is responsible for screening all new referrals to the STEP Program and works to ensure that a
188
caregiving relative attends these eligibility screening meetings as well to facilitate early
family engagement with the STEP Program. Including family members in the initial
eligibility meetings allows for the collection of additional information with regard to the
patients clinical course and symptoms but, more importantly, also facilitates the early
establishment of a collaborative relationship between the family members and the clinical
staff. The components of the STEP program are explained to both the patient and caregiving
relative, and the Project Director answers questions with regard to the treatment, etiology, and
course of psychotic disorders as needed.
Patients deemed eligible for the STEP Program are scheduled for a second meeting with
the Project Director. For patients, the goal of this second meeting is to complete registration
paperwork and the baseline assessment as well as to schedule the first clinical appointments.
However, family members are requested to attend this meeting as well to further their
engagement with the STEP Program. As caregiving relatives of individuals with a mental
illness typically identify increased communication as the area of greatest need of
improvement in their relationship with clinical staff [Biegel, Song, and Milligan, 1995],
several actions are completed at this meeting to facilitate communication between family
caregivers and members of the STEP treatment team. First, written consent is obtained from
the patient for bidirectional communication between family members and the treatment staff
at this second meeting. To date, some patients have had initial concerns about allowing their
family members to talk directly with clinical staff. These clients have each been provided
with the opportunity to discuss these concerns confidentially with clinical staff and, during
the two years in which this intervention was implemented, no client has refused to allow his
or her family members to have bidirectional communication with STEP clinical staff. Second,
family members (and the individual with psychosis) are introduced to the various mental
health professionals who will be providing care to their relative (i.e., the psychiatrist, primary
clinician, and the respective group leaders for the family psychoeducation and cognitivebehavioral therapy interventions). Family members are provided with the opportunity to ask
questions to each of these individuals and are provided with each persons contact
information should future questions arise. By providing family members with multiple
contact points among the STEP clinical staff, we hope to empower family members active
participation in all aspects of the treatment planning and delivery. Finally, family members
are also provided with a Family Information Packet which includes written information on
psychosis and substance abuse, details with regard to the community clinic in which the
STEP Program is located, and the common challenges experienced by individuals caring for a
relative with psychosis.
Finally, family members are informed about the various additional components of the
STEP family work program (i.e., joining sessions, psychoeducational workshop, multifamily
group, and family therapy). This discussion includes a description of the additional family
work components as well a brief overview of the potential benefits associated with
participation in these interventions as demonstrated in the research literature. Family
members are informed that their relative with psychosis may still participate in all aspects of
the STEP Program regardless of whether the family member chooses to participate in any
additional aspect of family work program. Additionally, family members are informed that
they may always later choose to participate in any of the more intensive aspects of the STEP
family work component even if they initially decline to do so.
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Joining Sessions
Caregiving relatives and clinically stable individuals with first-episode psychosis who
desire to participate in additional family services are next invited to participate in three
joining sessions with the Project Director. The goals of these sessions are to provide
education about psychosis and to strengthen the therapeutic alliance between the family and
STEP clinical staff. During these visits, which are modeled on the joining sessions included
in McFarlanes multifamily group psychoeducation program [McFarlane, 2002], the Project
Director discusses several key topics with the family members, including:
(i) The physiological changes in brain structure and functioning that accompany psychosis;
(ii) The stress-diathesis model of expression of psychotic symptoms;
(iii) Identification of early warning signs that their relatives psychotic symptoms are
worsening; and
(iv) Caregivers explanatory model of their relatives psychotic symptoms.
Given that the McFarlane model was not developed specifically for first-episode
psychosis, we discuss two additional key topics with family members at the STEP Program
that are specifically related to first-episode psychosis:
(i) The critical period hypothesis; and
(ii) Uncertainty with regard to diagnosis and the long-term course of illness in first-episode
psychosis.
The order in which these five key topics are presented to family members over the course
of the three joining sessions is outlined in Table 1. Typically, two topics are presented during
each respective joining session. For example, during joining session one, families are
presented with information with regard to brain physiological and psychosis as well as the
critical period hypothesis.
The first topic reviewed during the joining session is the physiological changes in brain
structure and functioning that accompany psychosis and the link between these changes and
the symptoms of psychosis. The goal of this activity is to highlight to family members (i.e.,
both caregivers and ill relatives) that psychosis is similar to other medical symptoms in that it
stems from underlying biological processes. Given the large number of such biological
processes that are associated with psychosis, we have found it most useful to provide only a
few specific examples of physiological factors that are associated with psychosis [e.g., the
loss of grey and white matter that accompanies and may event predate the expression of
psychotic symptoms [Glantz and Lewis, 2000; Thompson et al., 2001; Witthaus et al., 2008],
disruptions in neurotransmitter systems such as dopamine and glutamate [Davis, Kahn, Ko,
and Davidson, 1991; Olney and Farber, 1995], and hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex [Hill
et al., 2004]. These specific examples were selected as they can be communicated easily
through visual depictions (e.g., showing slides of the decreased number of dendritic spines on
neurons of individuals with psychotic disorders versus individuals without psychotic
disorders) and because the hypothesized link between these physiological features and
symptoms of psychosis have been relatively well explicated to date [e.g., the link between
hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex and disruptions in working memory [Carter et al., 1998].
190
Second, caregiving relatives are presented with information with regard to the critical
period hypothesis for psychotic disorders [Birchwood, 1999; Birchwood and Fiorillo, 2000;
Birchwood, Todd, and Jackson, 1998].
Table 1. Topics Addressed During Joining Sessions
1. Brain Physiology and Psychosis.
2. The Critical Period Hypothesis.
3. The Stress-Diathesis Model of Psychotic Symptoms.
4. Identifying Warning Signs of an Upcoming Symptomatic Exacerbation.
5. Family Members Explanatory Model of Psychosis.
6. Uncertainty with regard to Relatives Illness.
Drawing on research suggesting that the majority of functional and clinical deterioration
that accompanies psychotic disorders occur early in the course of these illnesses (e.g., within
the first 2-5 years [Crumlish et al., 2009; Lieberman et al., 2001; McGlashan, 1998]),
the critical period hypothesis suggests that targeted intervention provided early in the
course of a psychotic illness may have a disproportionately large and positive effective on the
long term course of illness. Presenting family members with this information may not only
help to increase their motivation to play an active role in the care provided to their ill relative
at the STEP Program, but also helps to provide these individuals with a sense of hope
with regard to an illness for which it may often be difficult to remain hopeful about [Tuck,
du Mont, Evans, and Shupe, 1997].
Third, the Project Director elicits the caregivers explanatory model of their relatives
psychotic symptoms. Such models include perceptions of the causes, course, and appropriate
treatment for the ill relatives symptoms [Kleinman, 1980; Kleinman, Eisenberg, and
Good, 1978] as well as caregivers perception of their role in their relatives treatment and
recovery [Chesla, 1989]. Understanding caregivers explanatory models for their relatives
psychotic symptoms is important for several reasons. First, this provides an opportunity to
highlight ways in which engagement in family interventions is consistent with the caregivers
beliefs with regard to optimal treatment and desired outcomes for their relative with
psychosisa factor which may increase engagement with family work programs for
psychosis [Tarrier, 1991]. Second, it allows for the correction of common misunderstandings
with regard to psychosis that may lead to the experience of unnecessary distress among
caregiving relatives. Examples of such misunderstandings include blaming ones self for the
onset of psychosis in a relative, believing that recovery in schizophrenia is impossible, and
feeling powerless to help their ill relative in any way.
With regard to the assessment of caregivers explanatory models of their ill relatives
psychosis, we utilize the series of questions identified by Kleinman and colleagues
[Kleinman, 1980; Kleinman et al., 1978]:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
What do you think is the cause of this symptom?

What course do you expect this symptom to take;
How serious is this symptom?
How does this symptom affect your relatives mind and/or body?
What kind of treatment do you think your relative should receive for this symptom?
191
(vi) What results do you hope your relative will obtain from this treatment?
(vii) What problems has the symptom caused for you and for your relative?
(viii) What do you fear most about your relatives symptom?
(ix) What do your fear most about the treatment for your relatives symptom?
Fourth, the Project Director reviews the diathesis-stress model of psychosis [Fowles,
1992; Walker and Diforio, 1997] with the caregiving relatives. Specifically, the Project
Director explains to family members that due to pre-existing biological vulnerability factors,
psychosocial stressors (including substance use) may trigger the onset of future psychotic
symptoms in their relative with psychosis. The goal of this discussion is not to encourage
family members to remove all stressors from their ill relatives life. Doing so would likely be
impossible and would potentially prevent their ill relative from participating in positive and
meaningful aspects of the recovery process in psychosis which, by their very nature, would
include some experience of stress (e.g., participating in educational/vocational activities and
forming new friendships or romantic relationships). Rather, the goal of this activity is:
(i) To clarify to the family members that in certain situations the onset of future psychotic
symptoms may be outside of their and their ill relatives control; and
(ii) To help families become more proactive in identifying situations in which their ill
relative may be exposed to particularly high levels of stress (e.g., during final
examination week at school) so that they can be better prepared to provide additional
support and care as needed.
Fifth, the Project Director works with family members to identify early warning or
prodromal signs of a future symptomatic exacerbation. The rationale of this exercise, as
explained to the family members, is that the onset of psychotic symptoms is often preceded
by the occurrence of non-psychotic psychiatric symptoms and observable changes in behavior
on the part of the ill relative (e.g., increased anxiety and depressed mood, sleep difficulties,
increased social isolation, etc. [Herz and Melville, 1980; Marder et al., 1991; Subotnik and
Nuechterlein, 1988]) and that providing targeted pharmacological and psychological
interventions upon the recognition of the presence of these early warning signs (in addition to
the continued receipt of maintenance medication) can reduce the likelihood that a relapse of
full psychotic symptoms will occur [Birchwood, Spencer, and McGovern, 2000; Clare and
Singh, 1994; Hewitt and Birchwood, 2002; Lamberti, 2001]. The importance of preventing
future symptomatic relapses is further emphasized to family members by noting findings
suggesting that the risk of the development of treatment-resistant and/or residual symptoms
increases with each relapse [Lieberman et al., 2001; Shepherd, Watt, Falloon, and Smeeton,
1989; Wiersma, Nienhuis, Sloof, and Giel, 1998]. Available research suggests that the vast
majority of familial caregivers (90%) can retrospectively identify changes in their ill
relatives behavior and emotions shortly before the occurrence of a psychotic relapse
[Birchwood et al., 1989; Herz and Melville, 1980], and within the STEP Program, it is our
experience that caregivers are typically able to identify several of their relatives idiosyncratic
early warning signs through recounting the period of time during which they first became
concerned about their ill relatives health. Similar results have been reported in other studies
of first-episode cohorts [Fjell et al., 2007]. To facilitate this recall, the Project Director
reviews with the caregiving relative a list of common early warning signs of an incipient
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symptomatic exacerbation [see, for example, Tarrier, Barrowclough, and Bamrah, 1991].
However, in some instances in which the family member was not in close contact with their
ill relative during the onset of the psychotic symptoms, we have requested that the individual
with first-episode psychosis be present for these meetings to provide additional information
with regard to the details of the onset of their psychotic symptoms.
The final topic addressed during the joining session is uncertainty experienced by
caregivers with regard to their ill relatives illness. Uncertainty among relatives caring for an
individual with a chronic illness stems from multiple factors, including inability to predict
future outcomes for the ill relative, lack of information or unclear information provided by
health providers with regard to their relatives illness, and ambiguity stemming from the
presence of unexplained symptoms or the lack of clear rationale for why certain treatments
are provided [Mishel, 1983]. Within the context of caring for a relative with first-episode
psychosis, there are several factors which commonly contribute to caregivers sense of
uncertainty. For instance, given the diagnostic ambiguity often present early in the course of
psychotic disorders, [Amin et al., 1999; Schwartz et al., 2000; Whitty et al., 2005], it is often
difficult (if not impossible) to provide caregivers with a definitive diagnosis for their ill
relatives. Likewise, as there is considerable heterogeneity in the long term course of psychotic
illnesses [Ciompi, 1980; Davidson and McGlashan, 1997; Shepherd et al., 1989; Thara,
2004], mental health practitioners may not always be able to provide caregivers with specific
information with regard to their ill relatives prognosis. Finally, although there are several
effective pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for psychotic disorders, data to inform
the delivery of personalized interventions to individuals with first-episode psychosis based on
their unique combination of presenting features (e.g., symptom onset, environmental
stressors, treatment motivation, etc.) is lacking [Breitborde, Srihari, Pollard, Addington, and
Woods, 2010]. Consequently, determination of what specific interventions will be most
effective for a specific individual with first-episode psychosis may often be made based on
trial and errora strategy which may increase caregivers uncertainty with regard to the
treatment provided to their ill relative.
Addressing caregivers uncertainty is a complex task given the varied outcomes that may
result from such uncertainty. More specifically, available research has found that uncertainty
in the context of chronic illness is associated with both negative and positive outcomes
[Babrow, Kasch, and Ford, 1998; Brashers, 2001; Brashers and Babrow, 1996]. Scholars have
suggested that these divergent results may stem from individuals varied appraisal of their
uncertaintyuncertainty that is perceived as dangerous may lead to negative outcomes,
whereas uncertainty that is perceived as an opportunity may lead to positive outcomes
[Babrow et al., 1998; Mishel, 1988, 1990]. For example, studies outside of the schizophrenia
literature have demonstrated that uncertainty with regard to whether ones treatment will be
effective (uncertainty as danger) is distressing for individuals with a chronic illness and their
caregiving relatives, whereas uncertainty with regard to whether one is predestined to
experience a negative outcome associated with ones chronic illness (uncertainty as
opportunity) may promote hope and optimism among individuals with a chronic illness and
their caregiving relatives [Brashers, Goldsmith, and Hsieh, 2002; Brashers et al., 2000;
Nelson, 1996; Newton and Mateo, 1994]. Thus, within the STEP clinic, our approach is to
inquire into any areas in which caregivers may be feeling uncertain with regard to their ill
relative and determine whether this uncertainty is distressing (i.e., uncertainty as danger) or
whether this uncertainty is a source of hope for the caregiver (i.e., uncertainty as opportunity).
193
To assist in this assessment, one could rely on the questions included in the Parents
Perception of Uncertainty in Illness Scale [Mishel, 1983]. If the uncertainty is distressing
to the caregiver, the Project Director will use several techniques to assist the caregiver
in coping with her or his uncertainty. These techniques, which are drawn from
empirically-validated interventions for coping with uncertainty in the context of living with a
chronic illness [Hoff et al., 2005; Mishel et al., 2002; Northouse, Kershaw, Mood, and
Schafenacker, 2005] as well as Berger and Calabreses [1975] seminal work on uncertainty
reduction, include:
(i) Normalizing the experience of uncertainty associated with caring for a relative with a
chronic illness;
(ii) Providing information to the caregiver so as to improve her or his ability to accurately
predict the outcome of the uncertain situation (e.g., informing the caregiver that their
relative may need to take antipsychotic medication for several weeks before they achieve
the full benefit of the medication);
(iii) Teaching the caregivers strategies that they can use to obtain needed information in the
future (e.g., providing contact information for all local social service agencies);
(iv) Assisting caregivers in differentiating between behaviors that are under their ill relatives
control (e.g., substance use) versus those that are not (e.g., persecutory delusions); and
(v) Instructing caregivers in the use of a structured problem-solving activity that they can use
to identify solutions to perplexing problems associated with the caregiving experience
(i.e., identify the problem, develop a list of possible solutions, evaluate the advantages
and disadvantage of each solution, and enact the solution that provides the best ratio of
advantages to disadvantages).
Of note, these techniques are not designed to eliminate all uncertainty associated with the
caregiving experiencesuch a goal is unrealistic [Babrow and Kline, 2000]. Rather, the goal
of these activities is to help the caregiver cope with uncertainty in situations in which such
uncertainty may be a source of distress and interfere with caregiving.
Psychoeducational Workshop
Should families express interest in additional services or should family members distress
persist, caregiving relatives and their clinically stable relatives with psychosis are invited to
attend a psychoeducation workshop. The goals of this workshop are to:
(i) Review the topics covered during the joining sessions;
(ii) Educate families about the benefits of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for
psychosis with particular attention devoted to reviewing family psychoeducation
programs specifically;
(iii) Discuss the format of the family group sessions and review common challenges
associated with joining a family group; and
(iv) Identify additional topics that families would like to learn more about during the future
family group sessions.
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Of note, although a significant portion of the psychoeducational workshop is dedicated to

the review of topics that were previously reviewed during the joining sessions, in our
experience, family members typically appreciate the recapitulation of these topics.
Following our review of the material covered during the joining session, we next discuss
the effects of pharmacological and psychological treatments on the symptoms of psychosis as
well as the underlying brain pathology that accompanies this psychiatric symptom. This
review includes discussion of the symptomatic reductions and neuroprotective effects
of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for psychosis [e.g., Eack et al., 2010;
Thompson et al., 2008]. In highlighting how treatments may influence the physiological
processes underlying psychosis, we hope to increase hope among caregivers and ill relatives
with regard to the ill relatives course of illness. However, the majority of this time in this
section of the workshop is devoted specifically to reviewing the benefits associated with
participating in the multifamily group [e.g., lower rates of relapse [McFarlane et al., 1995],
reduced negative symptoms [Dyck et al., 2000], and reduced caregiver distress [Hazel et al.,
2004]. Per research on health belief theory [Tsang, Fung, and Corrigan, 2006], our goal in
providing families with information with regard to the potential benefits of the family group
is to increase the likelihood that they will choose to participate in this program. Specifically,
health belief theory research has demonstrated that individuals are more likely to participate
in a health intervention if they believe that participating in this intervention will allow them to
reduce the likelihood of a future negative health outcome (e.g., a psychotic relapse for their
relative with first-episode psychosis).
The next topic addressed in the psychoeducation workshop is the format of the family
group sessions and common challenges associated with joining a family group. Drawing on
Yaloms work [1966; 1975; 1967] suggesting that new members typically experience
significant anxiety when entering a therapy group for which the format and expectations are
unclear, scholars have hypothesized that providing new group members with pretherapy
orientation to the group process and structure may reduce attrition rates [France and Dugo,
1985; Yalom, 1966]. Attrition in group therapy is a significant problem both due to its
frequency [i.e., a mean rate of 35% across studies [Bostwick, 1987] as well as its deleterious
effects on other group members. More specifically, attrition of group members is often a
source of anxiety for both the other group members and the group leader(s) who may fear that
such attrition is a precursor of the complete dissolution of the group [Yalom, 1966].
Ultimately, such anxiety may negatively influence the efficacy of the group [Yalom, 1966]. In
their review of pretherapy orientation research in the overall psychotherapy literature,
Walitzer and colleagues [1999] found that the majority of studies reported results which
comport with the hypothesis that pretherapy orientation may reduce client attrition and
improve client attendance. As such, we view this orientation as a critical component of the
psychoeducation workshop. With regard to group process, we attempt to normalize the
anxiety associated with entering an existing group by highlighting that this is a common
experience. To further emphasize this, we invite a family member who is already
participating in the family group to attend the psychoeducational workshop to talk to the new
families about their experience participating in the multifamily group. Additionally, we
further attempt to reduce anxiety among the families by providing information about the
structure of the multifamily group. A description of this group structure is outlined in
subsection below.
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The final component of the psychoeducation workshop involves identifying educational

topics that family members would like to review during the multifamily group. Including this
component in the psychoeducational workshop accomplishes two goals. First, it creates
additional incentive for families to attend the multifamily group. Second, identifying these
topics during the workshop provides the group leaders with additional time to schedule the
required speakers needed to addresses the educational topics requested by the families.
Multifamily Group
Following the completion of the joining sessions and psychoeducational workshop,
family members are invited to join the multifamily group. In situations in which a family
member is not interested in participating in the psychoeducation group, the Project Director
reviews any concerns that the family member may have with regard to participating in the
group. To date, typical concerns have included difficulty with transportation to the group,
conflicts between the time of the group and other scheduled activities (e.g., work), and
concern about participating in a group program (e.g., concerns about sharing private material
in front of other families). When possible, the Project Director works with these individuals to
find solutions for these barriers to participation in the family psychoeducation program. For
example, family members who were not comfortable participating in a group program are
offered the opportunity to participate in meetings with one of the leaders of the family group
where they can receive continued individual education about psychosis and support. All
family members who choose not to participate in the family group are informed that they can
join the group at any future point during their relatives participation in the STEP Program.
During each family group session, families participate in one of two activities. First,
certain sessions are dedicated to structured problem-solving activities based on the McFarlane
multifamily group model [McFarlane, 2002; McFarlane et al., 1995]. More specifically,
through group discussion, the attendees select a specific problem that one family is currently
struggling with. Next, the families collectively identify several possible solutions to this
problem (e.g., 6-8). The families then collectively review the pros and cons of each suggested
solution. Finally, based on this discussion, the specific family that is struggling with the
problem addressed during the session identifies the solution(s) that they feel would be most
effective in addressing their problem. This family is then expected to attempt to enact these
solutions during the two weeks before the next group session. The subsequent session then
begins with a review of the problem identified during the previous session and the proposed
solution selected by the family. This family provides an update of their attempt to implement
this solution. Should this attempt be unsuccessful, the family is asked to identify the factors
which prevented the success of this solution and is reminded of the other non-implemented
solutions identified during the previous session for this problem. More details with regard to
this problem solving activity can be found in McFarlane [2002].
Sessions not devoted to the problem-solving activity are reserved for additional
educational activities suggested by the families participating in the group. Typically, these
activities involve bringing a speaker to the group to address a topic that falls outside of the
range of expertise of the group leaders. To date, educational activities have addressed topics
such as estate planning, mental health advocacy, supported housing programs, first-hand
196
accounts of living with mental illness, and strategies to negotiate interactions with law
enforcement during behavioral crises. The breadth of such topics is consistent with the
conceptualization of recovery in severe mental illness as involving many factors that:
(i) Occur outside of the clinic; and
(ii) Fall outside of the expertise of most mental health providers [Davidson, 2003].
Although many of these topics are identified during the psychoeducational workshop,
members of the family group are repeatedly queried over the course of their participation in
the group about possible topics for future educational sessions.
With regard to the logistics of the family group, two 90-minute group sessions are
scheduled per month. We have relied on a rolling admission policy such that new families
may join the family group at anytime. This strategy allows for the development of veteran
families who can often serve as guides and supports to new families who join the group.
Finally, due to the reluctance of many STEP clients to participate in the family group, we
allow family members to participate in the group without the concurrent participation of their
relative with first-episode psychosis. Given evidence that relapse rates do not vary across
family work programs that include caregivers and ill relatives versus programs that include
caregivers alone [Leff et al., 1989, 1990], we feel that it is not necessary to require that
individuals with first-episode psychosis attend the group with their caregiving relatives.
Movement through the STEP Family Work Model

Upon enrollment in the STEP Program, families are assessed for their interest in
participation in the family work program. Specifically, we seek to obtain an initial assessment
of a familys desired level of intensity with regard to participation in the STEP family work
model. However, we recognize that families desired level of intensity with regard to
participation in the family work model may change over the course of their participation in
the STEP Program. For example, following a hospitalization of their ill relative, a family who
initially declined to participate in the multifamily group may now desire to join the family
group for additional education and support. Consequently, we continuously track negative
outcomes among individuals with first-episode psychosis in the STEP program during weekly
clinical rounds that the STEP Project Director attends. When such a negative outcome occurs
(e.g., hospitalization, relapse of substance use, loss of a job, etc.), the Project Director will
offer to schedule a session with the family and to facilitate their participation the educational
workshop and/or multifamily group if desired.
Table 2. Uptake of STEP Family Work Model
Level
None
Joining
Psychoeducational Workshop
Multifamily Group
*
n/N
17/42
25/42
6/42
6/42
Percentage*
40%
60%
14%
14%
Values do not sum to 100% as some families participated in multiple levels of the intervention.
197
Uptake of STEP Family Work Model

Families level of participation in the STEP Family Work Model is summarized in Table
2. Among STEP participants, 40% of families decline to participate in any aspect of the
family work model. This figure is consistent with the non-participation rates reported in other
studies of family work in first-episode psychosis [e.g., Fjell et al., 2007]. However, among the
remaining 60% of familiesall of whom would traditionally only have the option of
participating in a high intensity family psychoeducation programonly 6 out of 25 (24%)
opted to participate in the most intense aspect of the STEP family work program (i.e., the
multifamily group). The remaining 76% chose to participate only in the less intense joining
sessions. This occurred despite the fact that these families were provided with significant
encouragement to participate in the psychoeducational workshop and the multifamily groups.
In total, these results are consistent with the available evidence suggesting that not all families
desire intensive family interventions [Cohen et al., 2008; Mottaghipour and Bickerton, 2005-see also Bickerton, Hense, Benstock, Ward, and Wallace for an example outside of the
psychosis literature]. Rather, many families may prefer to participate only in briefer, less
intense family interventions (i.e., individual joining sessions).
CONCLUSION
Family interventions have a strong empirical basis in the treatment of psychotic disorders
[Dixon et al., 2001]. With nearly 25 years of research demonstrating the clear benefits of
these interventions, scholars have noted that there is only minimal utility in additional studies
of the efficacy of these interventions [Hogarty, 2003]. Thus, what is the future of family work
research? We would suggest that important contributions to this field of research can be made
by exploring the ways in which existing interventions can be improved and/or adapted for
specific populations. These population-specific interventions could be geared to meet the
needs of specific clinical populations (e.g., first-episode psychosis), but should likely also
consider the varying needs of individual families (i.e., some families may require less
intensive interventions that other families). Ultimately, developing more nuanced versions of
family work interventions will be an important first step in moving toward a system of care in
which families are provided with personalized treatment plans and resources can be deployed
more economically.
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McGlashan, T. H., Jacobs, S., and Woods, S. W. (2009). Public-academic partnership:
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[100] Subotnik, K. L., and Nuechterlein, K. H. (1988). Prodromal signs and symptoms of
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[101] Szmukler, G., Kuipers, E., Joyce, J., Harris, T., Leese, M., Maphosa, W., and Staples,
E. (2003). An exploratory randomised controlled trial of a support programme for
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 10
FAMILY INTERVENTIONS:
FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN
DEVELOPING ROUTINE AND FORMAL FAMILY
INTERVENTIONS SERVICES
Frank R. Burbach*
Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
ABSTRACT
Family interventions (FI) have been recognised as an important part of the
biopyschosocial treatment package for people with schizophrenia and other psychoses.
The addition of family interventions to routine care, including medication, results in
significantly superior clinical outcomes for people with psychosis.
The needs of caregivers is discussed and the rationale for working with families is
presented. The substantial evidence-base for formal family interventions (structured goalorientated sessions) with individual families and with multi-family groups is briefly
reviewed. This well-known research was largely conducted with chronic populations, but
the subsequent development of FI has been significantly influenced by the more recent
focus on people experiencing their first episode of psychosis. This contemporary
literature, and its implications for service delivery, is discussed.
Research into some of the underlying constructs regarding family stress levels and a
model which integrates the findings regarding family emotional climate, attributions and
interactions is presented.
It will be argued that although the critical ingredients of a successful family
intervention have not yet been established, the creation of a collaborative relationship
between the family, patient and services probably contributes significantly to the positive
clinical outcomes identified in research studies. The constituents of a collaborative
engagement with families as well as formal family interventions will be clearly
delineated and the implications for service delivery will be explored.
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Frank R. Burbach
This chapter is intended to help clinicians and service managers to successfully
develop FI in real-world clinical settings, by clarifying what is required, considering FI
service models and the implications for staff training, as well as suggesting how best to
overcome the commonly reported barriers to the implementation of FI.
INTRODUCTION
With the onset of community-based care for people with psychosis, the crucial role of the
family in providing care and support has been increasingly recognised. It is clear that an
effective bio-psycho-social treatment package depends on the collaborative engagement of
the service user (patient) as well as their key supporters/ caregivers.
Although many people with chronic mental health problems lose contact with family
members, most young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP) are in close
contact with their families [1] and mental health services thus have an ideal opportunity to
forge treatment partnerships with family members from this early stage.
Following the realization that medication alone does not cure schizophrenia and other
psychoses, there has been a burgeoning interest in psychological treatments, beginning in the
1980s when the early family intervention studies clearly demonstrated improved outcomes.
This was followed by the subsequent development of individual psychotherapeutic
interventions for psychosis such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [2] as well as a renewed
emphasis on social interventions, including evidence-based employment support programmes
[3, 4]. This chapter will focus on family interventions (FI) for psychosis, and aims to provide
an overview of the field as well as a guide to the implementation of FI.
RATIONALE FOR WORKING WITH FAMILIES

When someone has a severe mental health problem such as psychosis there are numerous
benefits to working collaboratively with families and other significant members of the social
support network (e.g. landladies; members of the local church or college tutors) and
numerous rigorous research studies have shown that formal family interventions (FI) result in
significantly superior clinical outcomes for people with psychosis [5]. Family members are
crucial to optimal recovery of the person with psychosis, as they are often the ones who
initiate and maintain contact with the specialist services, and physically provide the bulk of
the care.
Medical and psychosocial interventions often require ongoing encouragement, support
and reinforcement, and the family is a valuable resource in this regard. When the lives of
people with psychosis are chaotic and they are poorly engaged with services, working with
family members is sometimes the best way to maintain therapeutic input. In addition, research
[6] has shown that family members experience a significant amount of stress in caring for
someone in the early stages of a psychotic disorder, and that this may develop into unhelpful,
critical or over intrusive behaviours [7, 8, 9] which, in turn, may contribute to subsequent
relapse [10]. The extensive research literature examining the family emotional climate
associated with relapse and the associated theoretical debates will be explored later in this
chapter.
Family Interventions
209
FAMILY NEEDS
Although aspects of caregiving can be perceived as positive, many caregivers find that
caregiving is time-consuming and stressful. They often have difficulty in accessing services
and are forced to cope with challenging situations and high-risk behaviour, without adequate
support and guidance. Many caregivers have to deal with numerous crises, sometimes
involving contact with the police, ambulance and other services. It can become difficult to
maintain employment and carers can suffer financially. In addition, many carers find that they
cannot continue their previous leisure activities and their social networks shrink. The stigma
associated with severe mental health problems in many communities often contributes to
caregivers becoming socially isolated. Many caregivers also experience a complicated grief
reaction as they struggle to come to terms with their relatives ongoing difficulties and many
experience depression as a result of hopelessness and loss. Athough caregivers commonly
experience stress, exhaustion and distress, mental health services have traditionally focused
on treating the patients symptoms. More recently, it is encouraging to note increased
acknowledgement both of the fact that carers need support in their own right, to maintain their
physical and mental wellbeing, and that family members need to be enabled to provide care,
in order to optimise recovery of their relative. Additionally, it is now being recognized that
the meeting of carers needs may require an appreciation of the factors pertaining to their
particular situation - an individually tailored approach to supporting carers. Family caregivers
may be parents, partners, siblings or even children; they will have a range of understandings
about the situation they find themselves in; they will have a range of resources and coping
strategies available to them; and they will have had a range of premorbid relationships with
the person experiencing psychosis. There is therefore no simple formula that can be applied to
determine the needs of family caregivers. The needs of particular family members will also
change over time.
A helpful heuristic may be to consider families needs in terms of a hierarchy [11],
although it must be emphasised again that families needs will not necessarily present in
single categories and will not necessarily develop in a step-wise manner. When first involved
with services, families tend to require information (about mental health issues, treatment
options, how services work etc.) and the opportunity to talk about their traumatic experiences.
This commonly includes a need to discuss their experiences in relation to the development of
psychosis; difficulties in accessing appropriate help and feelings of fear, anger, loss and grief.
Many will also welcome further help with solving problems (for example about roles, chores
or achieving goals) and improving communication (eg. when misattributions result in patterns
consisting of criticism and withdrawal), and some will seek more in-depth exploration of
issues.
In our experience, some families engage more with psychoeducational interventions,
while others are more interested in reflecting on family relationships and interactions in the
context of family history and cultural issues. It is not just a tiny minority of families that are
interested in having more multi-facetted family discussions and thus our Family Needs
diagram (Figure 1 below) has a trapezoid rather than pyramidal shape. This conceptualization
of family needs also differs from service-related models in that families referred to in the top
sections of the diagram are not viewed as more challenging or needing greater input.
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Frank R. Burbach
Fewer
Families
a need to make sense of how

the mental health problem fits
with family history, culture and
social context .
Smaller number of
highly trained staff
a need to understand the

reciprocal nature of family relationships
a need to develop strategies

and processes for problem resolution
a need for information to aid understanding of their

experience
Most
Families
Most Staff
a need to be able to talk about their devastating

experience - the loss, fear and distress; to be listened to
and to be heard
Figure 1. A hierarchy of family needs.
In services where staff have more extensive training in working with families (eg.
Somerset [12, 13], or Western Lapland in Finland [14]) it is often possible to have family
sessions in which multi-facetted, systemic issues are addressed in a relatively brief but
comprehensive manner. It remains to be shown whether such approaches confer additional
benefits over the psychoeducational interventions in terms of outcome for the person with
psychosis or the other family members, but the evidence is encouraging [15]. We have found
our trapezoid model helpful as it also reflects the relationship between the number of families
with particular needs and the training needs of staff. The relationship between family needs,
staff training and service provision is also addressed in Mottaghipour and Bickertons (2005)
pyramid of family care model [16]. This model proposes a minimum level of care to meet
families basic needs for information regarding illness and orientation to the mental health
service, and, in a hierarchical fashion, builds more specialist interventions to meet more
complex family needs. They conclude that all staff will need to possess an ability to form
supportive therapeutic relationships with families, be able to provide relevant information in a
manner which takes into account the families current knowledge and beliefs, and have some
ability to enable families to reduce stress levels by improving communications and
developing coping strategies and problem-solving skills.
211
However, in some circumstances, families may require more complex psychotherapeutic

intervention, for example where pre-existing relationship problems are impacting on the
person with a first-episode psychosis or in situations of pre-existing trauma or abuse. The
traumatising effect of the onset of psychosis, and the guilt, denial, anger or hopelessness that
frequently accompany this would probably require the more skilled input of an experienced
therapist.
EVIDENCE BASE
Numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that the inclusion of Family
Intervention (FI) with standard care, including medication, significantly reduces relapse rates,
improves social functioning, reduces family burden and reduces overall treatment costs for
schizophrenia [17, 18, 19]. In addition, a systematic review has recently confirmed that FI
reduces relapse and hospital admission rates for young people with FEP [20].
Arguably the most scientifically rigorous of these reviews was the 2009-10 updated
Cochran Collaboration meta-analysis of 53 carefully selected RCTs [5]. They calculated the
relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) based on the fixed-effect model. They
reported reductions in relapse rates (RR 0.55) and readmission to hospital (RR 0.78),
increased medication compliance (RR 0.6), and general improvements in social impairment
and in the levels of expressed emotion in the family. They also calculated the number
needed to treat (NNT) to prevent a relapse and concluded family intervention significantly
reduces hospital admission at one year, with one patient out of every eight treated with family
intervention prevented from hospitalization compared with standard care (p23). Although
the Cochrane review recognises methodological limitations in many of the included studies, it
is encouraging that their robust meta-analytic approach continues to conclude that family
intervention is worth the time and effort, especially if families could be clearly shown to also
benefit from this approach as well as patients (to date relatively few studies have investigated
the benefits for family members).
The original research studies established that the addition of FI to routine care, including
medication, dramatically reduced the relapse rates. At 9 months to 1 year the relapse rates
ranged from 612%, whereas in routine treatment controlled groups relapse rates ranged
from 4153%. At 2-year follow-up the advantages of FI over controls were maintained,
although the relapse rates had increased (1740% versus 6683%). Once the original research
studies had established that the addition of FI to routine care more than halved relapse rates, a
second generation of studies established that psychoeducational family interventions could be
replicated across cultures and in routine clinical settings [21]. Comparative FI studies [22]
appear to indicate that a range of psychoeducational approaches are effective and that no one
model or brand of FI is superior. However, Multiple Family Groups (MFGs) appear to offer
a slight advantage over individual family interventions, particularly for families having to
cope with significant ongoing symptomatology [23, 24]. Unfortunately MFGs also have a
higher drop-out rate and are not acceptable to some families. Thus it can only be concluded
that MFGs should be one of a number of options available, rather than viewing them as the
family treatment of choice. A detailed treatment manual for MFGs is now available [25].
Although the critical ingredients of a successful FI have not yet been established, the
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Frank R. Burbach
creation of a collaborative relationship between the family, client and services probably
contributes significantly to the positive clinical outcomes identified in research studies.
However, specific therapeutic techniques are required with particular families to have an
impact on the emotional climate and the family members ability to cope with the oftenextreme stress of the advent of a psychotic episode.
CONTENT OF FAMILY INTERVENTIONS

The clinical approaches developed for the family intervention research studies conducted
in the 1980s and 1990s incorporated a range of behavioural, cognitive and systemic
techniques but had a similar philosophical basis and a common emphasis on psychoeducation.
These approaches were based on a stress-vulnerability model of schizophrenia [26] and had
been developed largely as a result of the research findings that relapse rates were higher when
families were rated as high in expressed emotion (viz. criticism, hostility or over involvement) [27, 28]. The psychoeducational approaches commonly included an educational
component regarding etiology, symptoms, prognosis and medication adherence; formal or
informal problem solving, and addressed issues of communication (often through behavioural
skills training). A number of treatment manuals describing the approaches used in the early
studies have been published [29, 30, 31, 32]. Although they have much in common, family
interventions also differ in a number of respects and it is therefore impossible to draw
definitive conclusions about the critical ingredients. Variations include whether the patient
is involved in the family sessions, the extent to which formal skills training is used, the
differing combinations of individual or group family sessions, the intensity of contact and the
length of the interventions.
In addition, studies examining the hypothesized mediating variables (e.g. problem
solving or communication skills) have been inconclusive and a forum of family intervention
experts concluded that key confounding factors (e.g. easier access to the treatment team or
use of relapse prevention plans) had not been sufficiently controlled for [33]. With the
development of first episode psychosis (FEP) services family interventions have undergone
further development. There is a consensus in the early intervention treatment guides that FI
for people with FEP requires a different approach to the first generation research models
originally developed for people with longstanding psychotic symptoms/chronic disability [34,
1, 35].
Besides embracing diagnostic uncertainty and providing information about psychosis
rather than schizophrenia, the main difference in early FI is a focus on helping the family to
cope with the trauma of having a family member who develops psychosis. Rather than
primarily engaging families by providing information, early FI is more flexible and crisis
oriented, with an initial focus on the family members emotional needs. The Open Dialogue
(OD) family and network approach developed in Finnish Western Lapland [14, 15] appears to
demonstrate the benefits of continuity of care and the active mobilization of the wider support
network eg. employers and fellow employees, in addition to the focus on the development of
coping skills, which is the main focus of most psychoeducational approaches. This
community-based crisis intervention approach puts the family and social network at the center
of the treatment, with the team aiming to establish contact within 24 hours of a crisis and
subsequently involving them in all treatment discussions and decisions. The same team takes
213
responsibility for the entire treatment process, whether the patient is in hospital or the
community, and adopts the familys language and concepts in order to create a dialogue that
increases their sense of agency.
In a descriptive study the OD approach appears to result in better functional outcomes for
people with first episode psychosis than those achieved by other approaches. Although the 5year relapse rates [15] did not differ significantly between the comparison approaches, the
evidence appears to show that the OD group recovered more quickly, had fewer days in
hospital, was more likely to have returned to education or employment and had used less
antipsychotic medication. Although the OD approach differs in its philosophical basis to
psychoeducational approaches, the superior outcomes may be due to the quality of the familybased intervention- a highly skilled treatment team is able to respond flexibly and creatively
to the needs of the family, uses medication sparingly in a carefully targeted way, focuses on
functional outcomes, and brokers acceptance in the wider social network. Although it may be
unattainable in many current service settings, the comprehensive service provided in this area
of Finland illustrates the principles that an optimum service might aspire to.
Although there is considerable variation in the FI approaches developed to date, it is
suggested that the common factors underpinning them deserve more recognition. A
particularly important aspect of FI sessions is that they provide a safe forum for family
members to express their emotions, to reach a more helpful shared understanding of what has
happened, and to receive emotional and practical support to deal with the treatment services
and their relatives symptoms and behaviour. However, these positive outcomes can be
enabled through a variety of contacts with families, not only in formally constituted family
sessions but also during the impromptu discussions with families that can occur as part of
routine psychiatric care. It is for this reason that the engagement of families in a collaborative
working relationship from their first contact with mental health services should be a priority.
Relatively brief contact with families can facilitate the sharing of information, and the
provision of emotional support and guidance/skills to cope with their relatives distress and
symptoms. This is sometimes sufficient to prevent the development of unhelpful attitudes and
interactional patterns, and can thus contribute to a reduction in relapse and the minimization
of family members distress. In order to create appropriate services to meet the varied needs
of family members we have found it helpful to delineate what constitutes formal family
interventions and collaborative engagement with families. This has enabled the planning of
workforce training initiatives [36] and the evaluation and audit of different types of family
work [37].
COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT
OF FAMILIES/ CARERS
It is likely that much of the improvement in relapse/hospital admission rates in the early
FI studies was due to the development of a treatment partnership between the professionals
and the family. Families have traditionally experienced difficulties in getting appropriate
professional help for the young person with an emerging psychosis and have felt excluded
from their relatives care at the first and subsequent episodes. Involving families in a
collaborative partnership [38] from the beginning can create a very different long-term
relationship with services.
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Frank R. Burbach
Table 1. Routine Family Interventions
Collaborative engagement of families in the delivery of care

Provision of clear messages about the advantages of working together in a 3-way
partnership (client, family/carers, clinicians)
Routine involvement of family/carers in the assessment process
Routine involvement of family/carers in treatment planning and reviews
Family/carer involvement in Early Warning Signs monitoring and the agreement of
a robust Relapse Prevention Plan (this ensures that families/carers know whom to
contact in a crisis)
Exploration of relatives distress and provision of emotional support
Ongoing clarification with the client regarding the sharing of information and the
limits of confidentiality
Provision of information and guidance to help the family/carers to maintain hope
and optimize their coping
Provision of information on self-help support groups
Offering a Carers Assessment and referral to carer support services or family
intervention services as appropriate
Consider the welfare of dependent children, siblings and vulnerable adults and
carers physical, social and mental health needs
Such a two-way partnership would ideally contain the following: an open exchange of
information, involvement in the ongoing review and planning of their relatives care,
involvement in the setting of realistic recovery goals, the monitoring of stress levels and the
emergence of symptoms, and a robust plan to ensure that they could get appropriate help in a
crisis. This could be described as routine family interventions (see Table 1). Relatively
straightforward information, support and guidance can encourage medication concordance
and can enable the family to develop coping strategies, which result in an environment that
promotes recovery.
All services should therefore strive to involve family members in routine care wherever
possible and appropriate. This will require sensitive ongoing negotiation about the extent of
information-sharing, in the context of a clear policy regarding client confidentiality [39, 40].
Routine early engagement with families as part of the assessment process will also enable
the gathering of invaluable information about the young person who has developed their FEP
as well as enabling the low-key assessment of family members needs. In the UK this may
lead to a more formal Carers Assessment and referral to mental health or carers support
services.
FORMAL FAMILY INTERVENTIONS

In addition to routine family involvement in care, a range of formal goal oriented family
interventions are required to meet the needs of a significant proportion of families. In recent
years there has been a growing consensus amongst clinicians about the content of FI (see
Table 2), as well as an appreciation that the interventions should be provided flexibly, tailored
to the particular needs of each family.
215
Family psycho-education initiatives with individual families [30, 31, 32] or in multifamily groups [25] are helpful for most families. Such approaches are based on the stressvulnerability model [26] and usually focus on helping families to develop their problemsolving skills and to communicate in a calm and consistent manner.
Whilst families are helped to maintain a low stress environment for the client, they are
also encouraged to set appropriate goals for their relative, tailored to the clients stage of
recovery [35]. Working together to identify the early warning signs of relapse and the prior
agreement of an intervention plan should this occur, is another important aspect of such
family work. These (cognitive) behaviourally- oriented approaches are often usefully
augmented with a focus on systemic issues such as the unhelpful patterns of belief and
behaviour in which families members have become trapped [41, 42]. In addition, a smaller
number of families may require more in-depth psychotherapeutic input to help them negotiate
more complex and longstanding conflicts, more entrenched negative interaction patterns, or
more intense and destructive feelings, attitudes and behaviours; or to address significant preexisting or recently developed risk factors (e.g. abuse or violence).
Table 2. Formal Family Interventions
Structured, goal oriented family sessions
Validating and normalising the familys emotional reactions and helping them to
maintain hope
Discussing with the family/carers their appraisal of the situation
Developing a more helpful shared understanding about what has happened
Information sharing about psychosis, stress and vulnerability, medication,
psychosocial interventions, services etc.
Support in accessing and getting the best out of services
Counselling about grief, loss and adjustment to changed expectations
Goal setting and encouragement of realistic steps towards recovery
Encouragement of low EE behaviours (non-critical encouragement; support
without being over-intrusive or fostering dependence)
Practicing clear, direct, positive communication
Identifying and changing unhelpful interactions
Problem-solving about everyday issues
Enhancing family members skills for dealing with crises and challenging symptoms
Early warning signs monitoring and relapse prevention planning
Stress management and encouraging all family members/ carers to look after their
own needs, including referral to mental health/ carer support services when required
Helping family members/carers to make contact with others in similar situations to
reduce feelings of isolation, stigma and powerlessness
Addressing pre-existing or newly developed risk issues
Different types of family input at different points in time; meeting
different combinations of family members/ significant others as appropriate
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Frank R. Burbach
Service Models
A number of service models, for example [16, 43] and Breitborde and Srihari this
volume, provide helpful frameworks for matching family needs to different types of family
interventions. These are based on the increasing recognition that it is not necessary (or
feasible) to offer in-depth interventions to all families. Such stepped care models reflect the
sufficiency principle by providing a range of family-based services the needs of clients
and family members can be met with the least intensive intervention [33]. There are a number
of examples in the literature which are briefly summarized below:
A group of American experts [33] recommended a model which contained a number of
steps consisting of very brief interventions which are designed to meet the needs of a large
number of families: 1 Family-friendly agencies and the non-judgmental exchange of
information; 2 Brief education; 3 Intermittent family consultation (1-5 sessions) to resolve
specific issues; and 4 Intensive family psycho-education (a 9-12 month course of skills
training).
The model developed in Sydney, Australia [16] may reflect a greater availability of
trained staff and recommends 5 steps, with psycho-education seen as the middle step: 1
Connection and assessment; 2 General education; 3 Psycho-education; 4 Consultation; and 5
Family Therapy. They propose that all families be offered a minimum level of care (steps 1
and 2) before being assessed and referred to higher level interventions.
A model developed in India [43], where there are fewer mental health professionals,
conceptualizes the hierarchy of family-based services quite differently: 1 Baseline
interventions provision of information and support; 2 Interventions designed to impact on
client-family interactions learning to manage symptoms, improving communication and
problem-solving; and 3 Interventions that foster self-help (e.g. encouraging participation in
self-help groups and the establishment of work co-operatives).
Unlike the other 2 models, this is not based on the idea that meeting more complex
family needs requires more complex, higher-level interventions provided by more highly
skilled clinicians. The Indian model views the professionals as responsible for the baseline
interventions, conceptualizes Level 2 interventions as a partnership between families and
professionals, and pre-supposes the family as pre-eminent (and professionals as secondary, or
catalysts) in Level 3.
In the more established mental health services, the pyramid of care service model has
been proposed as an effective way of matching family needs with intensity of service
provision and staff skill mix. The basic needs of most families can be met by existing mental
health service staff with minimal additional training, but some highly trained staff are
required to meet the needs of a smaller number of families with complex needs. Using these
principles, it is possible to create a composite stepped care model (see Figure 2).
Role of Assessment
Although the American and Australian models emphasise assessment at each stage, to
determine whether the family should progress to the next level of intervention, a service able
to offer this range of interventions could also be organized on the basis of assessed needs. A
thorough initial assessment, as part of the minimum level of family engagement, could trigger
immediate referral to the most appropriate level of intervention, rather than requiring the
family to progress through the steps. One way of achieving this is to initially involve a more
217
highly-trained member of staff in the lower-level family intervention with particular families
(eg. those with longstanding, complex presentations or high risk issues) so that the family can
be offered a more intensive intervention seamlessly. In an ideal mental health service, the
principles of assessed care as well as stepped care would be implemented on a flexible,
case-by-case basis.
Fewer
Families
Smaller number of
highly trained staff
6.
Family /
couples
therapy
5. Consultation to
professionals (which may
include the family)
4. Intensive family psycho-education
(9-12 months):
Single families or multiple family groups
3. Intermittent / brief family psycho-education
(1-5 sessions)
2. Brief Education:
Services, treatment, family and client rights, coping strategies.
Most
Families
Most Staff
1. Family Inclusive Services:
Connection, exchange of information, emotional support, collaborative care
planning, working closely with community groups.
Figure 2. An aggregated stepped-care family interventions model.
THEORETICAL DEBATES REGARDING MODELS

OF FAMILY INTERVENTIONS
The original Family Intervention studies were based on earlier research into the family
emotional atmosphere and relapse conducted by George Brown and colleagues. [44, 27].
They had developed the Expressed Emotion (EE) rating scales, which were subsequently used
in a large number of studies. Although this contributed to the widespread recognition of the
benefits of working with relatives of people with psychosis, the focus of the research effort on
relapse has led to a widespread, over-simplified perception of expressed emotion (EE) as a
unidirectional, binary concept. In this section we will briefly examine the considerable debate
about the theoretical concepts underpinning research in this area, the clinical implications,
and consider possible future directions.
Brown and colleagues conducted three research projects in the 1950s and 60s
investigating family relationships associated with relapse [44]. The first study appeared to
218
Frank R. Burbach
show that patients with schizophrenia were more likely to relapse if they returned to live with
parents or wives, whereas those with other disorders appeared to do better on their return to
live with the family. The second study found that ratings based on the relatives attributions
and beliefs effectively predicted deterioration in the patients clinical state in the follow-up
period, while ratings based on the patient did not. They also found that low face-to-face
contact could be protective for those returning to highly emotionally-involved homes.
In the third study, a structured interview schedule, the Camberwell Family Interview
(CFI) was used with parents while patients were still hospitalised, and was repeated 9 months
after discharge; when 35 out of 101 people had relapsed. The audiotape of this interview was
rated on five subscales (criticism, hostility, emotional over-involvement (EOI), warmth and
positive comments), taking into account both the content and tone of the comments. In order
to simplify the analysis, the three scales most clearly related to relapse (criticism, hostility,
EOI) were combined into a single index of EE and relatives assigned to either a High-EE or
Low-EE group. This combined index of EE gave a better prediction of relapse than any
individual component: 58% of patients returning to High-EE relatives relapsed, compared
with 16% discharged to Low-EE homes.
Warmth was also related to relapse, but had complex interrelationships with the other
scales. Those rated low in warmth also tended to be highly critical, whereas those high in
warmth tended to be associated with over-involvement. However, if relatives showed
considerable warmth without criticism or over-involvement, patients did very well (9%
relapse rate).
Total Group
Low EE : N = 233
High EE : N = 285
Low EE
20%
Low Contact
20%
Medication
9%
No Medication
47%
High EE
52%
High Contact
20%
Medication
18%
No Medication
28%
Low Contact
45%
Medication
32%
No Medication
60%
High Contact
57%
Medication
51%
No Medication
75%
Figure 3. Percentage Relapse according to EE, Contact and Medication status from Bebbington and
Kuipers (1994) aggregate analysis.
219
The findings of an independent, small-scale replication study [28] were remarkably

consistent with the original study [27], which allowed the results to be combined to explore
the interaction between medication, the family environment, contact with relatives and
relapse rates. While these findings suggested that either low face-to-face contact or regular
maintenance on medication gives a measure of protection in a High-EE environment, the role
of medication in Low-EE environments was unclear. However, an aggregate analysis of data
from 25 studies [45] indicated that medication reduces the relapse rate for those living with
High- or Low-EE relatives (see Fig.3). This study also confirmed that high contact with a
High-EE relative increased the risk of relapse but indicated that high contact with Low-EE
families might be protective.
The predictive validity of the expressed emotion index in a range of settings has been
confirmed by numerous studies, with few negative results. Following their meta-analysis of
26 studies, Butzlaff and Hooley [46] concluded that EE was now established as a robust
predictor of schizophrenic relapse (High-EE relapse rate = 65%; Low-EE = 35%) and
suggested that further replication studies were no longer required. Research has also
confirmed that EE is significantly associated with relapse in depression and a range of other
psychiatric and medical conditions [47].
Although there are a number of useful reviews [46, 47, 48] the casual browsing of the
current EE literature can quickly lead to confusion due to the range of research studies
attempting to explore different facets of EE, and their relationship to other concepts. EE has
also been critiqued from a number of angles. One of the originators of the field, Julian Leff
[49], has acknowledged that it was unfortunate that the general term Expressed Emotion was
applied to (the) index (p135) as it has led to assumptions that any emotional expression by a
relative is harmful to the person with psychosis.
If the warmth scale had not been excluded from the EE index, or other positive scales
such as compassion or tolerance had been included, then the research effort could have
had an equal emphasis on resilience or recovery. As it was the development of the index
resulted in numerous studies of relatives attitudes negatively impacting on the person with
psychosis.
Many clinicians in the field are also unaware of the more recent research studies
concerning EE. The most important developments in this field involve the exploration of
appraisals [50, 51], coping styles [52, 53, 54, 55] and the interactional nature of the unhelpful
emotions and behaviours identified by the unidirectional EE index [56, 57]. It is interesting
that EE is increasingly recognised as reflecting interactions between the person with
psychosis and their relative/care-giver, but relatively little use has been made of systemic
theory to guide research in this area.
However, some therapists have overcome problems inherent in the earlier linear psychoeducational approaches by integrating systemic family therapy and psycho-educational family
management [41, 42, 58], and have made particular use of Circular Questioning therapeutic
questions which reveal relationships between members of a family.
Many contemporary systemic therapists also adopt constructivist or social constructionist
approaches [59, 60, 61], exploring how people use language in a way that shapes and defines
appraisals. There is a particular interest in the way in which family members both construe
one another, and behave in a way that is coherent with that construction; and how the actions
of each validate or invalidate the others construction of their relationship. These elegant
220
Frank R. Burbach
approaches are therapeutically useful and appear to be compatible with the emerging
literature on appraisals, interactions and family emotional atmosphere.
Although Barrowclough and Tarriers classic 1997 cognitive-behavioural family
interventions text [30] has not been updated, Barrowclough and Lobban [62] recently
presented a format for the formulation of problem behaviours in the context of family
interactions, reflecting the more recent research on appraisals and interactions. They describe
their approach as a basic family CBT model of linked vicious circles with behaviours of
one person triggering thoughts/beliefs, feelings and behaviours of another. Their joint
formulation diagram mirrors the earlier work of Harry Procter [63, 64] who integrated George
Kellys personal construct therapy and systemic therapy (see also Dallos [65]).
Procters bow-tie diagram and interview format link the individual processes of meaning
making to the delicate social ecology of intimate personal relationships that sustain them and
is particularly useful as a means of clarifying complex interactive sequences in conflicted
couples and families, and in suggesting a road map for intervention (Neimeyer, p.41) [66].
A simplification of this diagram is used in the cognitive - interactive approach [67]
developed in the Family Interventions Service in Somerset (for an example see Fig. 4). We
use such cognitive-interactional diagrams clinically with families to explore unhelpful
patterns of interaction, thereby enabling reconsideration of attributions and desired
behavioural change [42].
Young Person
Inactive
withdraws
Psychotic
Symptoms
unreasonable
treating me like a
child
dont understand
Figure 4. A cognitive interactional diagram of a pursuit withdrawal cycle.
Parent
'He / she
is lazy'
Criticises
Questions
Shouts
221
The diagram illustrates a complementary pattern of interaction which is likely to become

increasingly entrenched over time: The more frustrated, critical or intrusive the parent
becomes, the more the young person feels overwhelmed and hopeless, consequently doing
less and withdrawing.
Sustained or increasing inactivity and withdrawal strengthens the parents belief that their
child is lazy and results in increased attempts to control their behaviour through criticism or
intrusiveness.
In behavioural terms, these processes can be described as intermittent reinforcement of
the parents behaviour (e.g. the young person sometimes complies with demands) and
negative reinforcement of the young persons behaviour (e.g. withdrawal reduces exposure to
parental criticism). In systemic terms, the family members could be described as being caught
up in a pursuit withdrawal cycle.
Further detailed research will be required to clarify the common interactional patterns
underlying family emotional atmosphere and their relationship to outcome after psychosis,
but the UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) group has clearly described how HighEE (critical) relatives tend to become locked into chains of negative interactions with their
offspring with schizophrenia [68].
Critical relatives display more negative verbal and non-verbal behaviour, and less
positive verbal and non-verbal behaviour. The patients in these interactions are themselves
more critical of their parents, use more justifications for their behaviour, express more
disagreements and display more negative non-verbal behaviour.
In contrast, Low-EE relatives were able to break negative chains of interaction sooner
and to adopt a more neutral, non-critical, facilitative stance. This was associated with more
frequent use of autonomous statements by the young person with schizophrenia and enabled
more effective problem solving by the family.
Parents
Behaviour:
Affect:
You drink too much, are lazy and you

smell bad (Critical)
Personally monitoring showering (EOI)
Young Adult
They are always on at me.

They dont understand.
I always get it wrong,
I am useless.
Appraisal /
Beliefs:
Frustration; anger
Affect:
Appraisal /
Beliefs:
S/he is lazy and just needs to

try harder
Behaviour:
Feels hopeless, helpless and guilty;

Emotionally overwhelmed
Social withdrawal; lack of motivation; poor

personal hygiene
Figure 5. A cognitive interactional diagram of a complementary transactional pattern.
222
Frank R. Burbach
Parents
Behaviour:
Affect:
Young Adult
This house is not a hotel. (criticism)

We work so hard for you and you just sit
on your backside and do nothing.
You have always been a lazy s*#t .
(hostility)
I cant help being like this.

They are unreasonable to
expect me to do it all.
They dont care even though
I am struggling
Appraisal /
Beliefs:
Frustration; anger
Affect:
Appraisal /
Beliefs:
Behaviour:
S/he is lazy and just needs to

try harder
Anger, Fear of withdrawal of love

Youre the parents, you are meant to look
after me. (criticism)
Shut up, you are a b*#* tyrant. (hostility)
Does not help around the house; social
withdrawal
Figure 6. A cognitive interactional diagram of symmetrical counter criticism.
Miklowitz and colleagues [69] found that High-EE-critical families became locked either
into symmetrical critical interactions or complementary interactions. Figure 5 illustrates the
complementary pattern, in which the young person with schizophrenia is self-denigrating and
appears to have internalised the criticism. A symmetrical pattern of mutual criticism is
illustrated in Figure 6. These interactional cycles are all illustrating simple dyadic relationships. However, young people with psychosis commonly receive different messages because
various family members perceive them differently. A common example is illustrated in
Figure 7. Clinicians will find formulations of this kind a better-fit than the oversimplified
ideas based on the earlier EE research. They will also find that they enable conversations that
are non-blaming and therefore more therapeutic [70].
Parent 1
Behaviour:
Affect:
Young Adult
Parent 2
Express Criticism
They are unreasonable
They are understanding
Feels frustrated
Im not going to take

medication
Medication may help /

I am ill
Affect:
S/he is lazy
Behaviour:
Feels frustrated and

defensive
Social withdrawal
Lack of activity
Does not take medication
Behaviour:
Affect:
Express Support
Feels sympathetic
Feels nurtured
Some social withdrawal

Adopts sick role
Tries to help in the house
S/he is not well but

trying their best
Takes medication
Figure 7. A Cognitive interactional diagram illustrating mixed messages and resultant confusion.
223
SERVICE DELIVERY
Developing appropriate services for families coping with early psychosis may seem a
daunting prospect, but it is clear that a range of services will be required to meet the range of
family needs. Different families require different services, and the same families will require
different services at different times. The ideal solution to this would be to have a menu of
help available for families to choose from (see Table 3). This concept may also be helpful to
teams as it means that the menu of services can be developed incrementally, as resources
allow. Similarly, the World Health Organization Early Psychosis Consensus Statement [71]
recognizes that mental health services are at different stages of development and therefore
translates the principles of good practice contained therein into realistic, context- specific
goals taking into account local capacities and cultural diversity. Aspirations regarding family
involvement range from self-help psychosocial support in settings with low levels of
resources to the routine availability of formal family interventions in countries with high
levels of resources. In many less industrialized countries there is greater community solidarity
and the Consensus Statement focuses on the facilitation of practical psychosocial support via
family, friends and community organizations which may be achieved through minimal
funding of self-help groups and other initiatives. In countries with high levels of resources the
Consensus Statement sets the aspirational standard that families and key supporters will
receive effective services appropriate to their needs. Services are challenged to
systematically demonstrate effectiveness in terms of early engagement of families and
significant others, and in terms of whether families feel valued as partners in care.
So where should mental health services begin? The evidence suggests that all Psychosis
Services should aim to provide routine as well as formal family interventions.
Table 3. A Menu of Family Interventions
1. Provision of written information
2. Educational groups (provision of information by professionals or other Carers)
3. Psycho-educational groups (staff-led groups which focus on tailoring information
to the particular families needs and problem solving)
4. Routine FI (involving families as partners in the care of their relative,
enhancement of coping strategies, and promoting recovery through balancing
stress reduction and encouragement of appropriate activity)
5. Formal FI (structured, goal-oriented family work with individual families)
6. Multi-family groups (ongoing structured FI with a group of families)
7. Carer support groups including sibling groups (providing tailored information and
support)
8. Carer-to-carer counselling support
9. Involvement of carers in the development of services, lobbying or public
awareness raising
In addition, the provision of written information and a programme of educational or
psychoeducational groups is often achievable. Multi-family groups are particularly helpful for
the provision of ongoing peer support, and groups with siblings have also been found to be
224
Frank R. Burbach
extremely valuable. Carers organizations (eg. Rethink in the UK or NAMI in the USA) are
often a valuable resource, providing information and support either in the form of educational
programmes, self-help support groups or in the form of trained carer-to-carer counselling
support programmes [72]. In addition, involvement of family members in political lobbying,
public awareness raising/anti-stigma campaigns, and in the shaping of local mental health
services as carer consultants or as carer representatives, on steering groups or committees, can
often be empowering and help family members to find meaning in their new caring role.
Many services reach the point where they recognize family members needs, are willing to
develop family interventions, and recognize the need to provide additional training for key
groups of staff. However, they often adopt a short-term, tick-box approach rather than a
comprehensive and strategic method of service development. The Somerset model [36, 73] of
developing both specialist FI as well as routine family inclusive services provides an example
of a more systematic approach that may be a useful guide to other services willing to develop
a range of services for families. The Meriden Programmeme in the West Midlands region of
the UK provides another model for the systematic development of FI services [74]. Those
wishing to develop FI services may also wish to take note of the research into the
implementation of FI training initiatives. There is now considerable evidence that training in
FI does not, in itself, lead to the delivery of FI in routine care [75, 76, 77]. Clinicians often
report that they find it difficult to integrate FI with the other demands on their time, and also
cite insufficient clinical supervision and a lack of management support for FI as reasons for
not practicing post-training in FI. Some newly trained clinicians also appear to lack the
confidence to apply their newly developed skills in a sufficiently family needs-led manner,
find it difficult to engage families and may lack the basic therapeutic skills which FI training
courses take for granted.
Table 4. Recommendations to Maximise Implementation
of Family Interventions Post Training
Ensure support for the programme of training and service development at all levels
of the organisation, including the highest level of management and lead
professionals
Agree a service development strategy to ensure an appropriate service context and
the availability of sufficient resources to enable practice post training (protected
time; smaller caseloads; practical support for clinicians)
Establish robust supervision structures to ensure post-training expert clinical
supervision is available
Use a team training approach or ensure that there is a local critical mass of
trained practitioners who can support one another
Involve families/carers in the training programme and in the design and
governance of the service
Appoint local service leads/champions who are responsible for the development
and maintenance of the service
However, a number of factors have now been identified which can facilitate successful
implementation of family work post training (see Table 4). In particular, it is crucial that the
225
FI training initiative is part of a service development strategy that has clear support
throughout the organization. This may be a considerable challenge in many organizations and
may depend on the successful forging of alliances between family members, key
professionals and managers. Besides ensuring that staff undertake effective training,
subsequent organizational support and encouragement of family work will be required.
Encouraging FI clinicians to support each other, ongoing clinical supervision and further topup training are all essential if the new FI services are to survive and develop. It may be
useful to consult a recent guidebook on the implementation of family work [78] for a detailed
consideration of many of these issues and numerous examples of successful development of
family services.
CONCLUSION
Family Interventions are underpinned by a substantial and convincing evidence-base,
although there are still many questions remaining unanswered. Better clinical outcomes
appear to be associated with comprehensive family-oriented approaches, but there is also an
increasing recognition of the diversity of family needs, the fact that it may be more effective
and efficient to offer the majority of families briefer initial interventions, and the potential
role of factors which are common to a range of FI models. The constructs underlying the bulk
of the research in the field are currently also undergoing considerable development.
The challenge for mental health services is to translate this into a range of family based
interventions, some of which should be offered on a routine basis to all and others should be
available as needed. The delineation of formal and routine family interventions, and the
description of pyramidal or trapezoid models integrating family needs, levels of care and
staffing (numbers and levels of training), will hopefully prove useful in the design of services
for families. Although the ideal scenario may be for all staff to be sufficiently well trained to
respond flexibly to the full range of family needs, in reality, these more complex needs are
often best met either by having some staff on the team who have received more specialist
training and therefore have a more developed level of therapeutic skill, or through co-work
with a more experienced family therapist, or referral to specialist psychotherapeutic services.
Readers are urged to work closely with families using their services and existing family
organisations/ groups, in order to develop a range of services for families supporting someone
with psychosis. The key to better outcomes for many, however, is likely to lie with the
practice of routine collaborative family engagement and the establishment of a co-operative
working partnership between the patient, family and treatment team.
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S. Snyder, J. Consulting Clin. Psychol. 57, 11-18 (1989).
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ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 11
COERCED TREATMENT IN PSYCHOSIS:

IMPLICATIONS OF INSIGHT, DURATION
OF UNTREATED PSYCHOSIS AND STIGMA
Constantin Tranulis
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
ABSTRACT
Coerced treatment is a topic of intense debate and current practice in psychiatry.
Three recent developments make it is particularly timely for contemporary discussions of
early intervention in psychosis. Firstly, highly publicized violent acts of persons suffering
from psychosis are awakening stigmatizing stereotypes and calls for social exclusion
through re-institutionalization. Secondly, the first episode psychosis movement argues
that intervening early in the course of a psychotic disorder has beneficial effects, raising
moral arguments for early involuntary treatment. Finally, the neurocognitive research in
the clinical phenomenon of lack of insight suggests that its neurological base renders the
persons suffering from psychosis unfit to make treatment decisions by themselves.
In this chapter we are analyzing these recent developments around coerced treatment
through a selective review of the literature and by presenting pertinent illness narratives
collected from first episode psychosis patients and their family members.
This critical analysis suggests that coercion into treatment is a profoundly moral and
social decision and should thus be based on moral values and human rights principles.
The disempowering effects of biogenetic and neurocognitive models of schizophrenia
had deeply stigmatizing effects in the past. Thus, increased coercion in psychosis is a
manifestation of the stigma of psychosis rather than a sign of progress in psychiatric care.
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Constantin Tranulis
INTRODUCTION
E. Fuller Torrey is one the most vocal advocates for increasing involuntary treatment in
psychiatry. In his book The insanity offence [1], he argues that violence by mentally ill
persons is growing ever since the deinstutionalisation movement: The news clippings of this
tragedy [a person suffering from paranoid schizophrenia killing somebody else] become the
first entry in my preventable tragedies file, which was to grow over the years to fill
entire file drawers. (pp xi-xii, our emphasis). Manifesto-like titles (The consequences of
unconstrained civil liberties: violent and homicidal chapter 9), detailed repetitive
descriptions of tragic violence and selective citation of scientific data bring him to conclude
that the US mental health care system is a disaster. He proposes a 4-step solution:
modification of the laws, identification of the target population, provision and enforcement
of treatment and, finally, assessment and research (pp 177-196). His successful law
modifications examples are all aiming at broader powers to coerce persons into hospitals and
treatment. The identification of target populations of potentially violent mentally ill persons is
based on a list of attributes, among which lack of insight and non-adherence to treatment and
the proposal of an identification method similar to the ones employed in the anti-terrorist
policies (e.g. centralized lists). There are many methods for ensuring that people with severe
psychiatric disorders take medication, and almost all of them are effective (p188) is followed
by a long list of informal and formal coercive methods to enforce treatment (in case the reader
was in doubt about content: the treatment of severe mental illnesses involve, first and
foremost, the use of antipsychotic medication pp185). Our aim here will not be to criticize
this position as this was done previously by others, but to reveal some of its key discursive
arguments as they have great relevance for understanding the authoritarian trends of
contemporary psychiatry.
A first discourse concerns the dominant view of mental illness (and of humans in general)
as essentially biologically-determined. This view not only puts emphasis on the biological
treatment of psychosis through antipsychotic medication, but undermines a key argument
against forced psychiatric treatment by the biologization of insight and its relabeling as
anosognosia. Secondly, Fuller Torrey emphasizes the importance of untreated mental illness
as a risk factor for violent acts. Thus, he offers a simple answer to the security concerns raised
by his text: eradicate the untreated psychotic periods and the society is going to be safe. This
concept of untreated psychosis is also central to the emerging early intervention movement.
These threads will be developed in more detail later.
Thirdly, the overarching discourse is centrally concerned with the links between mental
illness and violence. This is done in a specific manner, namely in a very graphic and explicit,
quasi-journalistic style: the numerous individual cases of violence are often filled with
horrific details, the material is essentially retrieved from newspapers and the legal
implications have precedence over other dimensions (e.g. socio-economic or cultural
determinants are virtually absent). The perpetrators are described in the absence of a
humanizing context, their acts seem meaningless and random. Such descriptions foster
sentiments of terror and tap on societal fears exacerbated by the 9/11 events. The discourse on
fighting terror gains thus applicability to mentally ill persons, the new insider terrorists of
Unites States. Identification, surveillance, targeting and neutralization of the threat of
untreated psychosis become the principal tasks to be solved by psychiatric care, with the help
Coerced Treatment in Psychosis
231
and assistance of law enforcement agencies. The civil rights discourse is the main argument
against this approach and, as in the case of the war on terror, it gets dismissed as misguided
idealism and dangerous denial of the gravity of the situation (or illness in this case). Indeed,
in a society that enshrines security as the most important value, it is difficult to argue for
alternative views based on abstract concepts such as liberty, personal freedom, choice or
human dignity.
I. VIOLENCE AND PSYCHOSIS IN THE POST 9/11 ERA

As convincingly argued by Michel Foucault [2], societal responses to madness varied
widely throughout history and geography. When the lepers, the Middle Age excluded group,
began to disappear in Europe, he noticed the development of an exclusion movement of the
mad, initially by sending them away from cities on boats (stultifera naves). Then, in the
17th century, a movement of exclusion through confinement in asylums of the
unreasonables developped - the "Great Confinement". He traced the evolving definitions of
these unreasonables from an amorphous group of feeble minded, sexually deviant,
homeless and mad persons to a medicalized group of mentally ill . Social order and the
preservation of morality were arguments for confinement in asylums. Violence per se was not
a crucial dimension for these social processes. The founders of modern psychiatric nosology,
Kraepelin and Bleuler, did not focus on violence neither in their detailed descriptions of the
mentally ill. Interbellum German psychiatry was dominated by concerns of genetic
purification and encouraged cleaning the gene pool and purifying the race through forced
sterilization and, later, annihilation of the mentally ill [3]. A historian of XXth century
American psychiatry argues that the notion of violent psychotics gained traction during the
period of social unrest following the second World War [4]. Tapping in social anxieties raised
by social unrest, namely by African American requests for equal rights, Metzl argues that
political protest was translated into psychosis and that psychosis was racialized as a Black
disease. Thus, the contemporary concern over psychosis and violence is neither a universal
characteristic of mental illness, nor a timeless link.
Why this societal obsession with violence in psychosis? Tentative answers to this
question may be separated in two groups. Firstly, the 9/11 and previous terrorist attacks raised
societal anxieties and concerns over risk of violence. Given the medicalization trends in
Western cultures, a huge body of scientific literature was developed on the psychological
dimensions of terrorism [5, 6]. It is enlightening that both proponents and critics of
antiterrorist measures may pathologize terrorists as mentally ill, with the end result of
excluding them from politics and subjecting them to coercive measures in the name of order,
security and liberty [7]. The explanation of violence by psychosis can thus be understood as a
particular example of the broader cultural trend of medicalization of social suffering [8].
Secondly, the new biogenetic understandings of psychosis can increase perceived links to
violence. In the last decades, destigmatizing efforts involved disseminating a biogenetic
model of mental illness in the general population (mental illness is an illness like any other
i.e. biologically-based). There is significant data showing that this strategy, while
diminishing blame, has the unforeseen effect of increasing perceived unpredictability and
dangerousness [9] and overall stigma [10].
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Constantin Tranulis
This section described some factors allowing a discourse linking violence and psychosis
to become pervasive both in the general public and clinical discourses. This discourse
developed in spite of lack of strong evidence for an increase in violent acts by persons
suffering from psychosis and the fact that the attributable risk of violence to mental illness is
actually small [11, 12]. And, of course, the facts that mentally ill persons suffer from
institutional violence and are at increased risk of being victimized themselves [13] are mostly
ignored by this discourse.
In the next section, we will explore how the recent emphasis on early intervention and on
diminishing untreated psychosis periods favors involuntary treatment tendencies.
II. THE SOONER, THE BETTER:

THE COSTS OF EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHOSIS
If you are concerned that you or a person you know is at risk for, or may be developing
psychosis or schizophrenia we recommend you call today the clinic closest to you, to
schedule an appointment. The sooner a person gets diagnosis and treatment, the better the
outcome. (http://www. schizophrenia.com/earlypsychosis.htm, accessed February 10, 2010,
original emphasis).
As one can see from this excerpt from a popular and respectable website, the contemporary view of what is at stake for persons suffering from psychosis or schizophrenia is a race
against time for early diagnosis and treatment. Indeed, the last two decades gave birth to a
radically new way of defining and treating persons suffering from schizophrenia, so much so
that the very term for defining the problem becomes episode of psychosis instead of the
century-old diagnosis of schizophrenia. The movement of early intervention for persons
diagnosed with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) led this major shift.
The FEP movement has the core premise that treating early and using best practices will
improve the life of persons suffering from psychosis. The diagnosis of schizophrenia cannot
be made before having been ill for at least 6 months, so the field chose to use psychosis
(which has no minimal duration) as the principal diagnostic category.
Through early intervention, the FEP movement aimed at moving clinical practice away
from traditional hospital-based approaches to community-based services, proposing to
articulate evidence-based medicine with a person-centered philosophy of care.
In contrast to an initial goal of changing the natural course of schizophrenia [14], the
FEP clinics observed very early the negative effects of stigma on help seeking delays, the
difficult access to services, the treatment drop-out and medication non-adherence rates [15,
16]. Instead, the FEP movement aimed to change the social and clinical courses of
psychosis, proposing interventions rooted in recovery principles and an optimistic discourse
about the illness [17]. These therapeutic principles are very close to what could be considered
destigmatizing interventions. In fact, reducing stigma and offering treatment in the least
coercive settings were explicit core objectives in FEP interventions [18].
As elsewhere in medicine, boundaries of disease and health are continually defined and
shaped by science, cultural factors and social actors [19-21] and these nosological and clinical
definitions have profound everyday consequences [22]. The redefinition of schizophrenia/
psychosis also has profound implications.
233
The FEP movement raised ethical concerns and intense debates regarding the proposal of
treatment for pre-morbid prodromal states, the aggressive efforts to bring persons into
treatment as early as possible and the implications of broadening the diagnostic criteria as the
lifetime prevalence of psychosis in the general population is 3% as compared to around 1%
for schizophrenia [23].
While these ethical risks were deemed acceptable in research contexts [24], as early
intervention becomes widely accepted and mainstreamed in psychiatry and in service
organization, it becomes imperative to revise and study its clinical and social implications.
We will focus here on some unforeseen developments in FEP interventions as related to
coercion into treatment.
Issues of coercion arise as the FEP movement is mainstreamed into standard
psychiatric care. In the initial, research-based, small FEP clinic, clinicians' enthusiasm and
their efforts to make the clinical care acceptable and desirable were empowering the patient,
thus contributing to lower stigma. Diminishing coercion was one of the principal objectives
and a criterion for judging the success of the early intervention [25]. However, the global
recognition of the FEP movement gives more power to the clinicians, who can now argue that
given the proven benefits of early intervention and the treatment non-adherence rates, they
should receive more powers to constrain patients into treatment. This logic results in
statements like: "...long-acting injectable formulations such as Risperdal(R) Consta(R) should
be considered as first line therapy for people experiencing a first episode of psychosis and
may improve the long term outcomes for those patients." (Emsley cited in (Today 2006)).
The periods of untreated diagnosable psychosis (or even at risk states) are deemed to be
neurotoxic [26], or at least socially toxic [27] as they were repeatedly related to worse
prognosis [28].
We described elsewhere the illness narratives of a woman who delayed seeking help for
psychosis for five years [29]. The patient was describing her choice in the following terms: It
was totally a strange experience for me, and it had been there for such a long time. At no time
did it occur to me that it was an illness, something which I havent heard of, and something
like this. I didnt even realize this was an illness, I just thought this was something with my
life, and things going, happening naturally . Through a careful analysis of illness narratives
by the patient and her husband, we unveiled the development of a literal and figurative space
within which they were able to share, explore and make sense of psychotic experiences : the
patient and her husband would meet daily in a coffee shop before going back home and she
would share her daily experiences ( the stories as they called them). They would discuss
them, building together meaning around them and finding concrete ways of dealing with them
(e.g. he would counsel her not to pay attention at what her colleagues might say). This was a
space where the abnormality of her experiences was not relabeled as psychiatric pathology
(husband : I focused mostly on her upbringing, family habits, all that, but never gave
emphasis to what illness that she had). This safe space, where she would be able to tell
the stories of her psychotic experiences without risking pathologization (which was highly
stigmatizing and a threat to the marriage because of the cultural background of the couple)
had also positive dimensions, promoting spousal connection and sharing (husband :
Sometimes I am now bored, that I do not hear all the stories that she comes and tells me in
the evenings, all these strange stories. In the evening that I come, she would take me to the
Starbucks and tell all these strange stories, and Id been accustomed to the stories now for
what, five years, and now I, you know, a part of me says when I go home, What happened
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Constantin Tranulis
to all these stories? ). We concluded by questioning the value of a hypothetical early

intervention in this case, as the data was giving a more nuanced answer to the fundamental
question of whether the five years of untreated psychosis were a delay or just plainly
part of the subjects life.
But the related concepts of early intervention and duration of untreated psychosis tend to
evacuate such rich meanings by considering these periods as merely untreated psychosis
an unwanted medical entity. A clinical case will exemplify how this may translate into
coercion into treatment. This clinical case is part of an ongoing ethnography of the First
Episode Psychosis movement. As part of a First Episode Psychosis clinic treating about 450
persons suffering from psychosis, I was the treating psychiatrist of a 45-year-old female of
Haitian origin, brought to the Emergency room by the police because of a complaint from a
neighbor. Her conflict with the neighbor was based on paranoid delusions and olfactory
hallucinations (odors coming from his apartment). She was calm and cooperative on the
psychiatric unit, but refused vehemently the possibility of having a mental illness. She denied
any desire to become aggressive or violent against her neighbor and asked to be discharged.
The multidisciplinary evaluation revealed a chronic low socio-economic situation because of
isolation (immigrant with no close family), loss of employment (the textile jobs she used to
do disappeared as manufacturing was outsourced in Asian countries) and cultural barriers
(including limited schooling and language barriers). In spite of the recent psychotic symptoms
and the long-term low-grade paranoia, she was managing to have a stable life, visiting a gym
regularly and not creating frictions in her social interactions. After a team discussion and a
careful assessment of risk, we concluded that we did not have enough arguments to keep her
against her will in the hospital. She signed a discharge against medical advice and refused
follow-up. A year later, she was brought again to the Emergency Room. This time, her
conflict with the neighbor deteriorated to the point that she was evicted from her subsidized
apartment a major loss given her situation and she was technically homeless. She was also
angrier, more rigid in her thinking and clearly suffering. The treating team reacted strongly to
this deterioration of her condition, expressing sorrow and grief. The team discussion evolved
around concerns that not enforcing treatment at the first hospitalization was potentially not
ethical and morally wrong given her deterioration. The final conclusion of the clinical team
was to consider coercion in the treatment earlier in such situations. An alternate attitude
would have been to empathize with the deep stigma resented by the patient and understand
her refusal to accept a diagnosis and psychiatric care, eventually acknowledging the limits of
resolving such conflicts deeply engrained in socio-cultural backgrounds. In a qualitative
inquiry into how persons learned the importance of adherence to antipsychotic treatment,
learning through personal experiences of stopping medication was an essential step in most
cases (95% of subjects stopped their medication at least once during their psychiatric career)
[30]. In clear contrast, this ethnographic data highlights the process of potential increase in
coercion when periods of untreated psychosis are considered simply negative and toxic for
the patient.
A new expert consensus on the use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics reveals
the practical implications of this view of untreated psychosis [31]. The LAIs are long-term
intramuscular versions of oral antipsychotic medications. Their therapeutic action lasts for 1
to 4 weeks and adherence is ensured upon reception of the injection. Most newer
antipsychotics became available in long-acting injectable formulations and they are actively
promoted by the pharmaceutical companies as they offer better profit margins (patents often
235
expired for oral formulations). In this Canadian expert consensus, LAIs are proposed as a
first-line treatment for first episode psychosis. The treatment algorithm suggests proposing
LAIs in adherent patients. For non-adherent patients (data shows that at least 50% of patients
stop their antipsychotic medication in the first year of treatment [32]) or for those at risk of
non-adherence (i.e. clinicians could argue that this represents the vast majority of treatmentnaive patients), the algorithm suggests starting a LAI antipsychotic. Not only the LAI
treatment of this algorithm represents a form of coercion as it is specifically designed for
cases of non-adherence, but most patients will probably react negatively to this treatment
plan, in which case the algorithm suggests either the use of oral medication surveillance
(either through electronic pill dispensers, or therapeutic interventions) or coercion into
treatment through legal measures. Given the present knowledge of adherence behaviors in the
first year of treatment for psychosis, it is most likely that a significant proportion of patients
(up to 50%) will end up under formal legal requirement to take LAIs if this algorithm is
followed.
Here, the person-centered, non-coercive goals of early intervention in psychosis are
transformed into exactly the opposite: an epidemic of coercion from the earliest phases of
treatment for psychosis.
III. INSIGHT IN PSYCHOSIS AND COERCION

Insight (a correct attitude to a morbid change in oneself [33, 34]) and especially its lack
in psychosis, are long-debated topics. Insight is usually measured on a uni-dimensional scale
(item G12 of PANSS [35]) and sometimes as a tri-dimensional construct (awareness of
mental disorder, awareness of benefit from medication and awareness of social consequences
of the disorder [36]).
While insight is considered a desirable attribute in North America, it has not always been
the case. For example, lobotomy was performed with the express desire to suppress
awareness this was not an adverse effect, but part of the intended consequences of the
operation so that persons will suffer less from the overcrowded and depressing everyday life
in an asylum [37]. Until recently, diagnoses of schizophrenia were told with great reluctance
in France and not at all in the majority of cases in Japan [38]. It is widely accepted that insight
in psychosis correlates with increased suicidality [39]. Moreover, the concept of insight was
repeatedly criticized as having limited validity [40], being a sociocultural process [41] and
rather representing the level of agreement and compliance with the clinicians views [42, 43].
Regardless of the moral valence of having insight, lack of insight was shown to be one of
the most common symptoms in schizophrenia [44] and psychoeducational interventions
showed little capacity to change it [45]. In the last decades, a significant body of research
explored the neurocognitive correlates of insight bringing to the forefront a
conceptualization of insight as a neurocognitive deficit similar to anosognosia [46, 47].
Legal responsibility and competency to make informed choices are based on the
prerequisite of being aware of the situation and of the moral and practical consequences of
ones acts (for a detailed and more nuanced analysis, see [48]). If a neurological process such
as anosognosia impairs these capacities, the person suffering from psychosis looses
competency and the right to make clinical decisions on ones own. This line of arguments is
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Constantin Tranulis
put forward by some ethicists and clinicians [49, 50] in order to amend the laws to broaden
coercive powers even in the absence of dangerousness and, consequently, to promote earlier
coercion into treatment for persons suffering from psychosis.
The socio-cultural and psychological contexts of care are glossed over in this legalistic
debate. Refusal of treatment is related to access to treatment, to acceptability of interventions
and to the costs of being identified as a patient (i.e. stigma and discrimination). Collapsing all
these dimensions into a neurobiological discourse on anosognosia is reductive and limits the
capacity to develop appropriate responses such as better and more acceptable clinical
interventions.
CONCLUSION: OMINOUS TRENDS

These new discourses on violence, untreated psychosis and insight have tremendous and
synergistic effects on how society will react and treat persons suffering from psychosis. They
might explain the increased coercion proposed in the clinical care for psychosis.
In this critical analysis we tried to advance the position that coerced treatment is a
profoundly moral and social decision and should thus be decided based on moral values and
human rights principles. It is not a scientific or a technical decision, nor a purely clinical
issue, to be sorted through randomized clinical trials.
The disempowering effects of biogenetic and neurocognitive models of psychosis had
deeply stigmatizing effects in the past. Coercion might be interpreted as a manifestation of the
stigma of psychosis. The recent increase in coercion signals thus a return of troubled times for
those suffering from psychosis rather than a progress in clinical care. If our treatments were
that good, how come people are still voting with their feet against them?
In conclusion, in spite of societal pressures, lets hope that psychiatry will reject the
perverse postulate that coercion is psychiatric treatment. Doing the contrary will only validate
Thomas Szasz critique [51] and it will impose additional suffering on persons who are
already struggling with serious mental health problems.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported by a Fonds de Recherche en Sante du Quebec grant. Data was
collected as part of a CIHR grant. I would like to thank Robert Whitley for his helpful
comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.
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[30] Tranulis, C., et al., Becoming Adherent to Antipsychotics: A Qualitative Study of
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N.J.: Transaction Publishers. xv, 278 p.

ISBN: 978-1-62081-516-8
Chapter 12
PSYCHOSIS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Aline Tamires Lapa,1 Mariana Postal2, Fernando Augusto Peres,2
Caio Rodrigues Guirau2 and Simone Appenzeller2,
1
Pediatrics Department/ State University of Campinas, Brazil

Department of Medicine-State University of Campinas, Brazil
ABSTRACT
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects 0.1% of
the world population. The disorder is characterized by systemic inflammation, autoantibody production, and immune dysregulation, and it may lead to significant
neurologicaland psychiatric morbidities. Both adults and children are diagnosed
according to a set of clinical and laboratory criteria with a high sensitivity and specificity.
A diagnosis of SLE in any age-group depends on excluding systemic infections or
malignancies and the presence of at least 4 of 11 American College of Rheumatology
(ACR) diagnostic criteria. Nephritis (leading to hypertension and renal dysfunction) and
nervous system involvement are two of the more ominous manifestations in all agegroups. There are 19 case-based peripheral and central nervous syndromes that are
postulated to be associated with SLE. Syndromes requiring prompt neurological
evaluation include seizures, cerebrovascular accidents, demyelination, movement
disorders, and peripheral neuropathies. Manifestations that may prompt psychiatric
consultation include acute confusional state (delirium), affective disorders (anxiety and
depression), cognitive impairment, and psychosis. Neuropsychiatric presentations may be
caused by hypercoagulability in cerebral vessels (vasculopathy), proinflammatory
cytokines, auto-antibody effects on neuronalstructures or receptors, and bloodbrain
barrier disruption. Alteration in the regulation of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and
serotonin appear to play a role in behavioral changes seen in lupus-prone mice.
Psychiatric manifestations in all age-groups may also be influenced by significant
disease-related psychosocial stressors and by medication. Psychotic manifestations in
adult patients are associated with early and severe clinical presentations and are described
in up to 11% of patients in retrospective reviews of adult cohorts.
We will review the prevalence, etiology and clinical presentation of psychosis in
SLE. In addition we will discuss treatment protocol for this serious manifestation in SLE.
E-mail: [email protected], FAX: +55 19 3289-1818
242
Aline Tamires Lapa, Fernando Augusto Peres et al.
INTRODUCTION
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology
which affects different organs, such as the skin, kidney, and the brain. A large fraction of
patients with SLE demonstrate organic psychiatric and neurological disorders, indicating
central nervous system (CNS) involvement [1-4]. Neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations occur
in up to 75% of the patients and may include major manifestations (i.e., stroke syndromes,
severe organic brain syndrome, seizures, psychotic episodes, etc.) or minor abnormalities,
including mood disorders and less severe cognitive deficits [5, 6]. The frequency of these
manifestations in SLE studies varies widely, depending on the type of manifestations
included and the method used for evaluation [7-11]. The involvement is heterogeneous and
may vary from subtle signs such as headache and mood disorders to severe, and life
threatening conditions, such as stroke, myelopathy and acute confusional state [6]. Any part
of the peripheral or CNS may be affected by the disease [12]. The diagnosis of primary NP
involvement by SLE is often difficult, as both focal and diffuse manifestations may occur and
a gold standard for diagnosis is still absent [2, 13, 14]. Psychiatric syndromes associated with
SLE are diverse in etiology and presentation [15,16]. These manifestations can be the
presenting manifestation of SLE or occur at any time during the disease [15].
Controversy exists concerning the pathophysiology of psychiatric manifestations in SLE
[17], since in addition to inflammation and antibody-mediated etiology, iatrogenic effects of
corticosteroids [18], and psychosocial stressors related to chronic disease may influence its
occurrence [12]. Psychiatric manifestations in adult SLE patients are associated with early
and severe clinical presentations and are described in up to 11% of patients in retrospective
reviews of adult cohorts [13, 14, 17, 19- 27] (Table 1). Psychiatric manifestations occur in all
age-groups may also be influenced by significant disease-related psychosocial stressors and
by medication.
We will review the prevalence, etiology and clinical presentation of psychosis in SLE. In
addition we will discuss treatment protocol for this serious manifestation in SLE.
CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA
The large number of papers published about NP manifestations in SLE evidence more
manifestations attributable to SLE than seizures and psychosis described in the original
classification criteria by Tan et al. [28]. In addition, the several distinct pathologic
mechanisms of NP damage in SLE predispose to different central and peripheral
presentations, including focal and diffuse disease. The lack of definitions of individual
manifestations and the absence of standardization for investigation were reflected in the
prevalence and frequency of NP manifestations in different reports, varying from 24-74% of
SLE patients [7, 9, 13, 17, 29, 30-37].
Table 1. SLE: Classification criteria of neuropsychiatric manifestations: analysis of CNS
244
In 1999, the American College of Rheumatology developed case definitions that included
appropriate terminology, classification criteria and complementary examinations for 19 NP
syndromes (Table 2) [38].
Table 2. Central nervous system manifestation following
ACR case definitions. Adapted from [38]
Central nervous system
manifestations
Aseptic meningitis
Acute Confusional State
Anxiety Disorder
Cerebrovascular Disease
Cognitive Dysfunction
Demyelinating Syndrome
Headache
Movement Disorder
Mood Disorders
Myelopathy
Psychosis
Seizures
Peripheral nervous system manifestations

Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating
Polyradiculoneuropathy
Autonomic Disorders
Cranial Neuropathy
Mononeuropathy
Myasthenia Gravis
Plexopathy
Polyneuropathy
Table 3. Suggested preliminary diagnostic criteria for classification

of lupus psychosis. Adapted from [41]
I. Fulfill the 1982 (revised in 1999) ACR criteria for the classification of
SLE
II. Show at least one of the following psychiatric manifestations defined
in the 1999 ACR nomenclature
Acute confusional state
Cognitive dysfunction
Psychosis
Anxiety disorder
Mood disorder (depression)
III. Elevation of CSF IL-6 (more than 4.3 pg/ml
IV. Exclusion
1. Cerebrovascular disease of a new onset
2. Infectious meningoencephalitis
I + II + III + IV
lupus psychosis
These criteria were a result of a consensus meeting of experts of several subspecialties

(rheumatology, neurology, immunology, and psychiatry). Furthermore, in 2001, these criteria
have been validated in a cross-sectional study with a specificity of 46% [39]. Several studies
have used these classification criteria in order to determine frequency and prevalence of CNS
involvement in SLE population [17, 29, 30-37]. Although these studies show a substantial
245
variability between the frequency of CNS manifestations, suggesting differences between

cohorts or bias in data acquisition, this classification allows us to compare the results across
cohorts [6, 13, 14].
In this classification, psychosis was defined according In the DSM-IV, and refers to
delusions or prominent hallucinations, without insight into their pathological nature [40].
Recently specific diagnostic criteria for lupus psychosis have been suggested and are shown
in Table 3. [41].
Patients with psychosis have to be carefully evaluated, in order to differentiate primary
psychotic disorders unrelated to SLE, substance or drug-induced psychotic disorders and
psychologically mediated reactions to SLE as a major stressor. In all patients with psychosis,
other causes such as infection, metabolic disturbance and structural lesions have to be
excluded by clinical, laboratory and MRI when indicated [14].
Corticosteroid-induced psychiatric disturbances is defined as a new symptoms that
appears temporally within 8 weeks of institution or augmentation of steroids and resolves
completely after reduction of steroid dosage without additional immunosuppressive agents
[14].
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The clinical relevance of NP manifestations in SLE has been intensively studied [6, 13,
34-36, 42, 43].
Using mortality as indicative for poor outcome in NP manifestations, there are studies
suggesting that patients with NP have increased mortality when compared to SLE patients
without these manifestations [44-47]. Although some studies did not find an increased
mortality among patients with CNS manifestations when compared to SLE patients without
CNS manifestations and controls [42, 48-51], the presence of CNS manifestations,
independently of its etiology, seems to have a negative impact in quality of life [52], overall
damage scores [34, 35, 42], higher fatigue scores [34, 43] and unemployment [42, 43, 53].
The association of lower quality of life with NP events over time, independent of
progression in cumulative organ damage, emphasizes the persistent negative effect of NP
events in the lives of patients with SLE [52].
The ACR damage score (ACR/SLICC-DI) has been developed to determine irreversible
damage in SLE patients, irrespectively if attributed to disease itself or secondary to
comorbidities or medications [6]. In the ACR/SLICC-DI seizures, psychosis, mood disorders,
cerebrovascular disease, neuropathy, mononeuritis multiplex, acute confusional state and
myelopathy are scored in addition to several other clinical manifestations in order to
determine the global damage score. Using the items of NP in order to create a NP damage
score, the strongest risk factors for the development of significant NP damage was the
presence of greater disease activity at the time of CNS involvement onset and the presence of
antiphospholipide antibodies [35]. Cumulative organ damage was higher in patients with NP
disease because they were more likely to have received corticosteroids or immunosuppressive
drugs [34]. Fatigue is also an important aspect of life in SLE patients. A recent study shows
the main reasons for being unemployed were fatigue, hours of work missed, pain, and
cognitive impairment [43]. Another study in the same area proved that patients with NP
246
disease reported more fatigue and had significantly lower scores on 7 of 8 subscales of the
SF-36 (Short form 36 health survey questionnaire) [34]. Working disability has been studied
in NP in several studies [42, 43, 53]. The number of cognitive spheres, and especially
attention, memory, and executive functions, were important factors associated with
unemployment in patients with SLE [43]. The association between memory function and
employment status in patients with SLE underscores the need for judicious assessment of
cognitive function and for the development of appropriate strategies that will either reverse
cognitive impairment or help patients overcome obstacles they may face in daily life.
Pertaining to employment, persons with cognitive impairment may benefit from specific
training programs [53]. In conclusion, the presence of CNS manifestations does not seem to
influence mortality, but it does seem to have a negative impact in quality of life [42, 52],
overall damage scores [34, 35, 42], higher fatigue scores [34, 42] and unemployment [43, 53].
PSYCHOSIS IN SLE
A challenging problem in the diagnosis and management of SLE is psychiatric disorder
[14]. Abnormal behavior was first described in SLE by Hebra and Kaposi [54], followed by
Osler [55]. Many psychiatric symptoms can be observed in SLE patients, such as depression,
anxiety, mood disorders, but psychosis was considered as one of the most important and
included in the classification criteria for SLE in 1982, despite the widely diverse clinical
manifestations [56] and varying degree of severity [57, 58].
Psychosis may be a primary event of CNS manifestation of SLE or associated with a,
such as corticosteroids and antimalarics [17] (Figure1).
Adverse psychiatric effects, including mild euphoria, emotional lability, alteration of
behavior, panic attacks, psychosis and delirium, are seen in 310% of all patients receiving
corticosteroids and are unpredictable from the regimens of corticosteroids used [59, 60-62].
Figure 1. Psychosis may be a primary event, with variety of drugs and infections.
247
Psychosis is defined as a severe disturbance in the perception of reality characterized by

delusions and/or hallucinations, in the absence of delirium, causing clinical distress or
impairment in social, occupational or other relevant areas of functioning. This is not a
common feature in SLE [14].
There are very few studies specifically exploring the characteristics of this psychiatric
complication of SLE published after the ACR standardized definitions were developed and
prevalence of psychosis varies from 11-18% [13, 14].
We observed that acute psychosis secondary to SLE at disease onset was more frequently
associated with disease activity, whereas cutaneous manifestations were less frequently seen
[14]. This may be one of the reasons why these patients are usually first seen by psychiatrist
[14, 63]. In patients who had acute psychosis during the course of disease, it was associated
with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies and they had more frequently other CNS
manifestations related to SLE activity [14]. Depression, stroke, seizures, cognitive
dysfunction, and psychosis have all been associated with antiphospholipid antibodies [14, 32,
33, 64].
Recurrence of acute psychosis was observed in 18 of 59 patients. These patients had also
more frequently other CNS events due to SLE activity [14]. Therefore patients with acute
psychosis should be followed carefully in order to determine if they develop other primary
CNS manifestations secondary to SLE [14].
In our study we observed 38 episodes of corticosteroid induced psychosis in 28 patients
during the follow-up period [14]. All patients had active SLE disease and were receiving
prednisone in moderate to high doses. As previously described, hypoalbuminemia may be a
risk factor for corticosteroid induced psychosis [60, 61, 64-69]. The explanation for these
findings may be that corticosteroid binding globulin does not bind to synthetic steroids,
whose transport depends on serum albumin which, by contrast, presents low affinity but a
great capacity to transport the steroids because of its high plasma concentration. Steroids are
biologically inactive when bound to albumin. Therefore, the free (and active) fraction of
steroids is higher in patients with low plasma albumin levels, and this will expose the patient
to more adverse efects [68]. In patients with SLE, corticosteroid-induced psychiatric events
may be difficult to distinguish from primary neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE. The
antiribosomal P antibody is specific for SLE and has been shown to be associated with
psychosis related to disease activity and other CNS manifestations, including depression [61,
62, 70-73], but the low sensitivity limits its clinical usefulness for the diagnosis of lupus
psychosis [73]. Therefore, a temporal relationship between the beginning of corticosteroid
therapy and psychiatric events, and the resolution of symptoms after reduction of
corticosteroids is an important feature in diagnosis of corticosteroid induced psychosis in
clinical practice.
PATHOGENESIS IN PSYCHIATRIC SLE

Anti-Neuronal Antibodies
Anti-neuronal antibodies are not well defined, but rather represent a group of antibodies
that react to neuronal components [72]. Antineuronal antibodies are detected in the serum in
43 to 95% of SLE patients and in approximately 74% of the CSF. Antineuronal Abs are more
248
predominantly detected in NPSLE patients when compared with SLE patients without
neurological manifestations or when compared with patients with other autoimmune diseases
[72]. Anti-neuronal antibodies were analyzed in a variety of NP SLE manifestations, rarely in
psychosis.
In selected sera from 22 patients with active SLE, 92% of NPSLE indicated definite
neuron reactivity, in contrast to only 20% of sera obtained from patients without evidence of
NP involvement [74]. Serial studies of 2 SLE patients with transient psychotic episodes
revealed a close association between the Ab titers and the appearance of psychosis in 1
patient [74].
Another study evaluated antineuronal antibodies in the CSF from 27 patients with
NPSLE and 18 patients with SLE free of CNS disease for antibodies reactivity with the
cultured human neuronal cell line SK-N-SH [75]. Whereas 74% of NPSLE CSF samples
harbored increased IgG antineuronal activity, only 11% of the CSF samples of non-CNS
disease also showed increased antibodies activity. Ninety percent of the patients with
psychosis, organic brain syndrome, or generalized seizures had increased IgG antineuronal
activity, as compared with only 25% of the patients who had hemiparesis or
chorea/hemiballismus. Antineuronal activity per microgram of IgG was concentrated
eightfold in the CSF of patients with active CNS disease, as compared with the serum
activity. Patients with or without active CNS disease did not differ significantly in the amount
of serum antineuronal binding activity.
The results of these studies raise the possibility that the more diffuse CNS manifestations
of SLE, such as psychosis may be a result of the interaction of antibodies with neuronal
cell membranes.
Brain-Reactive Antibodies (BRAA)

BRAA Are a a Subgroup of Antineuronal Antibodies [72, 76, 77]
One study described BRAA that correlated with psychosis and/or seizures in SLE [77].
Ten percent of 100 lupus patients had NP manifestations. Of those, 60% of the BRAApositive patients had psychoses and/or seizures compared with 2% of BRAA-negative
patients with the same manifestations. These antibodies are specific for neuronal membrane
tissues of mammalian origin and are specifically associated with psychosis and/or seizures.
Anti-MAP-2
MAP-2, a cellular protein restricted to neurons, is important in the control of cytoskeletal
integrity and other neuronal functions [72]. In 1 study on 100 patients with SLE, 17% of the
SLE patients had antibodies to MAP-2, in contrast to 4% of the patients with neurologic
injury/disease and 2% of normal controls [78].
Elevated titers of anti-MAP-2 were significantly associated with psychosis, seizure,
neuropathy, and cerebritis in 77% of the SLE patients, whereas the absence of anti-MAP-2
Abs was associated with NP symptoms in 20% of the patients.
249
Antiphospholipid (aPl) Antibodies

By far, aPL antibodies, in particular, anticardiolipine (aCL) antibodies and lupus
anticoagulant (LAC), have been the most widely investigated antibodies in NPSLE. In an
open pilot study of 11 children with NPSLE manifested as encephalopathy with or without
grand mal seizures, focal seizures with depression or hallucinations, optic neuritis with
transverse myelitis, and psychosis with audiovisual hallucinations, 45% had elevated aCL
IgG antibodies [79]. A study evaluated the predictive value of antibodies in determining a
relapse in 25 NPSLE patients [37]. The most common antibodies encountered excluding
ANA were aPL (defined as aCL or 2GPI or LAC), anti-Sm, and anti-Ro antibodies. Six
patients with elevated titers of aPL had CVA, seizures, or cognitive dysfunction. The NP
manifestations in 3 patients with anti-Sm Abs were seizures or psychosis, and 3 patients with
elevated anti-Ro Abs titers had psychosis, myelitis, and cognitive impairment. None of the
Abs were significant for CNS lupus when compared with SLE without NP clinical findings.
None of the antibodies were predictive of a relapse of CNS disease. Paired measurements of
aCL, in the serum and CSF, were performed using the ELISA method in 31 lupus patients
and in controls with other diseases. High titers of CSF IgG-aCL were detected in NPSLE
patients with lupus headache, acute psychosis, cognitive impairment, high cortical
dysfunction, and altered consciousness. Intrathecal synthesis occurred in these NPLE patients,
rather than the diffusion of IgG-aCL from serum to CNS compartments [80]. In another small
study (n = 5), aCL was not detected in any CSF samples [81].
IL6
Although previous studies disclosed that CSF IL-6 was elevated in patients with NP-SLE,
including psychosis [82-84], but not in SLE patients without neuropsychiatric manifestations
[7], the operating characteristics of CSF IL-6 in the diagnosis of psychosis have not been
determined. The results have clearly demonstrated that CSF IL-6 is a useful tool for diagnosis
of psychosis. Thus, the sensitivity and specificity of CSF IL-6 for diagnosis of psychosis were
87.5% and 92.3%, respectively, at the cut-off value of 4.3 pg/ml. It should be also pointed out
that CSF IL-6 was found to be decreased after successful immunosuppressive therapy [8284], suggesting that it may be useful for monitoring the effects of treatment. It should be
noted that CSF IL-6 is elevated in a variety of conditions, including CNS infections and
cerebrovascular diseases [85, 86]. Therefore, it is necessary to rule out these conditions to
make a correct diagnosis of psychosis. Careful clinical evaluation as well as MRI scans would
be important for differential diagnosis. Of note, CSF IL-6 has been found to be elevated in
NP-SLE other than psychosis, including aseptic meningitis and transverse myelitis [87].
Moreover, we have recently reported that CSF IL-6 was elevated in SLE patients with
reversible focal neurological deficits, which are possibly caused by vasculitis [88]. Although
these conditions rarely result in psychiatric manifestations, it is difficult to make a correct
diagnosis of psychosis by CSF IL-6, when SLE patients present both psychiatric
manifestations and focal symptoms at the same time.
Anti-P
The clinical association between elevated titers of anti-Rib P antibodies and psychosis
was originally described by Bonfa and coworkers [89]. In a recent review, 12 of 17 studies
showed an association between elevated titers of serum anti-P antibodies and NP lupus,
250
predominantly psychosis and depression [89-102], whereas others refuted the association [90,
103-107]. Our group found that 14% of 44 Israeli SLE patients had elevated titers of anti-P
antibodies. Of those, 2/6 patients harbored NPSLE, 1 with psychosis and the other with
cognitive dysfunction and depression. Anti-P antibodies are predominantly found in the
serum of patients with NP SLE; however,this association remains controversial. After Bonfa
[89] observed high titers of anti-P antibodies in lupus psychosis, several studies were
performed and published to confirm the possible association between anti-P antibody and
psychiatric manifestations, especially psychosis [92, 94, 95, 98, 100]. Reichlin reviewed
publications that, despite some existing controversies, suggested a meaningful relationship
between anti-P antibodies and central nervous system disease [108]. Yoshio et al. [102]
detected a significantly higher frequency of anti-P antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in
patients suffering from SLE with serum anti-P antibodies and in those suffering from NPSLE,
particularly complex presentations [102]. This observation may confirm the pathogenic role
of anti-P antibodies in neuropsychiatric lupus. Although serum (and/or CSF) anti-P antibodies
are associated with lupus psychosis, the mechanism by whichthese antibodies lead to the
development of the symptom is not understood. The interaction of anti-P antibodies with
neurocytes has not been directly evidenced in vivo. However, the results of an international
metaanalysis disclosed that the sensitivity and specificity of serum anti-P testing for LP were
2427% and 80%, respectively (73). Thus, serum anti-P testing has been found to be too less
sensitive to be used for the diagnosis of LP, although it appeared to be specific for LP.
Anti-Ro
The predictive value of antibodies in determining relapse in 25 NPSLE patients was
evaluated [37]. The most common antibodies encountered excluding ANA were antiphospholipid (defined as aCL, 2GPI, or LAC), anti-Sm, and anti-Ro antibodies. The 3 patients
with elevated anti-Ro antibodies titers had psychosis, myelitis, and cognitive impairment.
Anti-Ro antibodies were not significant for NPSLE when compared with SLE without NP
clinical findings nor were they predictive of a relapse of CNS disease. Further investigation is
warranted for determining the correlation between anti-Ro antibodies and NPSLE.
Anti-Sm Abs
Four studies refer to the association of anti-Sm antibodies and NPSLE. Serologic studies
were performed on 25 patients with SLE during 29 acute episodes of CNS disease. Patients
with isolated CNS disease were otherwise in apparent clinical and serological remission. Of
special interest was an increased incidence of anti-Sm antibodies in the patients with CNS
dysfunction relative to that in a large group of patients without NPSLE [109]. A retrospective
analysis of 33 anti-Sm antibodies -positive and 243 anti-Sm antibodies -negative patients with
systemic connective tissue diseases including SLE and related disorders (overlap, mixed, and
undifferentiated connective tissue diseases) revealed no association between anti-Sm
antibodies and NP features [110]. In an open pilot study of 11 children with NPSLE manifest
as encephalopathy with or without grand mal seizures, focal seizures with depression or
hallucinations, optic neuritis with transverse myelitis, and psychosis with audiovisual
hallucinations, 36% had elevated titers of anti-Sm antibodies [79].
251
The predictive value of Abs in determining relapse in 25 NPSLE patients was evaluated
in 1 study [25]. The NP manifestations in 3 patients with anti-Sm antibodies were seizures or
psychosis. Antinuclear antibodies, anti-dsDNA antibodies, and anti-Sm antibodies were not
predictive of CNS relapse.
Treatment of Psychiatric Manifestations in SLE

Given the diversity in clinical manifestations, the management is tailored to the specific
needs of individual patients. The management of psychiatric lupus manifestations is often
frustrating and currently no consensus is available. Counseling and other interventions that
assist a person in developing coping skills may be helpful. In the absence of controlled
studies, the use of symptomatic therapies, immunosuppressive, anticoagulants and adjunctive
psychotropic medication is supported by case series and clinical experience [6, 13]. There is
no standardized treatment for lupus psychosis. In our cohort, we have used a variety of
therapies. All the patients received corticosteroids and anti-psychotics and 90% of them
received an immunosuppressive agent. To the best of our knowledge, there are no controlled
trials assessing any treatment strategy in the management of lupus psychosis. Several small
studies have reported the benefit of the use of corticosteroids and different immunosuppressive strategies in patients with NP lupus [13, 14, 111-116]. More recently, one study
reported the efficacy and tolerability of rituximab in the treatment of patients with lupus
psychosis [117].
Little is known about the outcome of psychosis due to lupus. One year after the diagnosis
and treatment, 60 and 40% of our patients with lupus psychosis showed complete resolution
of their psychiatric symptoms or chronic psychotic activity, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Psychosis has been described to occur between 11-18% of SLE patients, both at disease
onset and during follow-up period. Patients with psychosis have to be carefully evaluated, in
order to differentiate primary psychotic disorders unrelated to SLE, substance or druginduced psychotic disorders and psychologically mediated reactions to SLE as a major
stressor. Both antibody-mediates and cytokines, especially IL-6 are involved in the
pathogenesis of psychosis in SLE. There is no standardized treatment for lupus psychosis and
little is known about outcome in SLE patients with psychosis.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Grants: Fundao de Amparo Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo (FAPESP 08/020917-0)
and Conselho Nacional Pesquisa Desenvolvimento-Brasil CNPq (300447/2009-4).
252
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INDEX
A
abstraction, 29
abuse, 2, 3, 10, 21, 22, 28, 94, 114, 115, 116,
117, 119, 121, 211, 215
access, 16, 138, 143, 151, 152, 154, 156, 162,
163, 169, 170, 178, 180, 212, 232, 236
accommodation, 135, 172
accounting, 175, 198
acid, 56
ACTH, 5
acute confusional state, 241, 242, 245
acute infection, 256
adaptation, 59, 108, 184
adaptive functioning, 30, 39
adhesion, 50, 77
adjustment, 15, 74, 84, 124, 125, 215
Adolescent Symptom Inventory, 31, 42
adolescents, 32, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 44, 53, 64, 68,
83, 84, 86, 87, 89, 106, 107, 109, 118
adrenal insufficiency, 7
adrenocorticotropic hormone, 4
adulthood, viii, 7, 26, 35, 46, 53, 54, 55, 63, 79,
80, 82, 83, 84, 88, 89, 98, 104, 107, 108, 109,
113, 127
adults, 36, 66, 74, 77, 81, 87, 96, 98, 104, 116,
117, 124, 214, 241
advancements, 119
adverse event, 48, 53, 119
advocacy, 195
aetiology, viii, ix, 25, 33, 40
affective disorder, 11, 12, 13, 14, 96, 98, 186,
241
affirming, 44
African-American, 33
age, 3, 5, 7, 10, 17, 26, 27, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 44,
46, 47, 52, 62, 68, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87,
88, 89, 90, 91, 94, 97, 98, 99, 100, 103, 104,
105, 106, 112, 118, 124, 125, 127, 135, 138,

143, 152, 153, 161, 167, 171, 172, 174, 175,
177, 241, 242
agencies, 37, 193, 216, 231
aggressive behavior, 83, 108
agnosia, 135, 138
agonist, 55
albumin, 247
alcohol abuse, 102, 108, 135
alcoholics, 85, 87, 109
algorithm, 21, 235
alienation, 78
allele, 51, 65
alternative treatments, 44
American Psychiatric Association, 18, 40, 130,
253
amino, 49
amnesia, 3
amplitude, 58, 59, 61
amygdala, 56, 60, 137
amyloid beta, 50
anger, 13, 59, 124, 209, 211
annihilation, 231
anorexia, 56, 73
anthropology, 201
antibody, 241, 242, 247, 250, 251, 255, 257
anticardiolipin, 256
antidepressant, 36
antigen, 73
antiphospholipid antibodies, 247, 252, 253, 255
antipsychotic, 11, 22, 36, 62, 68, 114, 125, 128,
135, 172, 174, 186, 193, 203, 213, 230, 234
antipsychotic drugs, 36
anxiety, 5, 28, 31, 41, 56, 87, 97, 98, 100, 102,
104, 114, 115, 127, 128, 185, 191, 194, 241,
246
anxiety disorder, 41, 98, 104, 114
apathy, 176
aphasia, 3, 6
260
Index
appointments, 188
appraisals, 219, 220
arsenic, 9
aseptic, 249, 254
aseptic meningitis, 249
Asian countries, 234
aspartate, 47, 57, 75
asphyxia, 55, 57, 72
assault, 117
assessment, vii, 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 30,
31, 32, 38, 41, 42, 75, 86, 100, 111, 167, 188,
190, 193, 196, 214, 216, 230, 234, 246, 256
asylum, 235
asymmetry, 61, 64
ataxia, 7
atmosphere, 39, 217, 220, 221
atrophy, 55
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), 28, 29, 41, 55
attribution, 3, 253
audit, 213
audition, 75
authorities, 82, 89, 94, 105
authority, 81, 94, 117
autism, 47, 50, 55, 57, 64, 67, 72, 74, 81, 98, 104
autoantibodies, 255
autoimmune diseases, 248
automaticity, 163
autonomic nervous system, 29
autosomal dominant, 8
autosomal recessive, 8
avoidance, 114
awareness, 5, 63, 128, 235, 238, 239
B
babbling, 38
bacteria, 5
barriers, 195, 208, 234
basal ganglia, 8, 21, 58
base, viii, ix, 92, 138, 170, 207, 225, 229
basic needs, 210, 216
batteries, 171
behavioral change, 48, 83, 88, 99, 101, 241
behaviors, 14, 83, 193, 235
beneficial effect, 229
benefits, 88, 183, 193, 194, 197, 208, 210, 211,
212, 217, 233
bias, 245
binding globulin, 247
bio-indicators, 46
biological markers, 75
biological processes, 189
biological psychiatry, 80
biomarkers, 60
biopsy, 8
bipolar disorder, 12, 13, 49, 50, 66, 67, 69, 83,
92, 102, 103, 104, 119
birds, 142, 144, 173
birth weight, 55, 72, 74
births, 54, 56, 69, 72
blame, 231
bleeding, 55
blends, 126
blood, 5, 8, 10, 34, 36, 66, 68, 241
blood vessels, 5
borderline personality disorder, 115, 120
brain, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20, 29, 34, 35, 45, 47,
49, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 62, 65, 68, 70, 71, 75,
76, 84, 105, 111, 112, 124, 125, 129, 139, 155,
158, 161, 171, 189, 194, 203, 204, 241, 242,
248, 256
brain abnormalities, 14, 35, 124, 125
brain tumor, 2, 6, 20, 203
Brazil, 241
breakdown, 30
breast cancer, 203
Britain, 144, 174
browsing, 219
bulimia, 56
bulimia nervosa, 56
bullying, 117, 118
buttons, 137
C
calcification, 8
campaigns, 224
candidates, 154, 157
cannabis, 118
CAP, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90,
91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103,
104, 105, 106
carbon monoxide, 9
care model, 216
caregivers, 38, 184, 185, 186, 188, 189, 190, 191,
192, 193, 194, 196, 198, 201, 203, 205, 207,
208, 209
caregiving, 183, 184, 185, 188, 190, 191, 192,
193, 196, 198, 199, 209
case studies, 20, 114, 135, 138, 158
case study, 158, 170, 180
catatonic, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 17, 26, 27, 28, 124
categorization, 58, 119
category a, 139
category b, 145, 164, 180
Index
category d, 139, 140
causal relationship, 113, 114, 116, 118
causality, 29, 30, 34, 118
cell line, 248
cell membranes, 248
cell signaling, 49
central nervous system, 7, 50, 52, 57, 60, 125,
242, 250, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258
cerebellum, 29
cerebral aneurysm, 97
cerebrospinal fluid, 51, 54, 250, 253, 256, 257
cerebrovascular disease, 245, 249
ceruloplasmin, 8
CFI, 218
challenges, 188, 193, 194, 201
chemical, 76, 129
chemokines, 256
chemotherapy, 67
child abuse, 102, 114, 115, 116, 117, 119
Child Behavior Checklist, 88
childcare, 89, 94
childhood, viii, 7, 27, 28, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44,
74, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 88, 95, 99, 104, 105,
107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116,
117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 127, 252
childhood sexual abuse, 113
children, viii, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35,
36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 64, 72, 80, 81,
82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 99, 106, 107,
108, 109, 110, 116, 127, 201, 209, 214, 241,
249, 250, 258
China, 55
chorea, 8, 248
choreoathetosis, 8
choroid, 5
chromosome, 49, 50, 51, 66
chronic illness, 183, 192, 193
civil liberties, 230, 232
classification, 3, 11, 83, 90, 98, 168, 237, 242,
244, 245, 246, 253
cleaning, 231
clients, 188, 196, 205, 216
climate, viii, 207, 208, 212
clinical presentation, ix, 10, 13, 17, 18, 23, 41,
236, 241, 242
clinical psychology, ix, 7, 65, 168
clinical trials, 36, 40, 184, 236
clustering, 13, 142, 161
clusters, 26, 27, 142, 152
CNS, 7, 34, 47, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247,
248, 249, 250, 252, 257
cocaine, 9, 52, 68
coding, 30
261
coercion, ix, 229, 233, 234, 235, 236
coffee, 233
cognition, 26, 51, 65, 77, 228
cognitive deficits, 28, 29, 58, 125, 127, 142, 242
cognitive dysfunction, 8, 247, 249
cognitive function, 61, 75, 83, 127, 138, 163,
177, 246
cognitive impairment, 5, 8, 14, 75, 124, 152, 159,
241, 245, 249, 250
cognitive process, 58, 124, 129, 178
cognitive psychology, 134
cognitive-behavioral therapy, 186, 188
collaboration, 186
collateral, 3, 15
combined effect, 10
common language effect size, 158
common symptoms, 119, 235
communication, 29, 30, 37, 38, 188, 199, 209,
212, 215, 216
communication skills, 212
community, viii, 32, 44, 81, 116, 121, 125, 154,
161, 167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 177, 188, 204,
208, 212, 223, 232, 239
comorbidity, 19, 20, 22, 23, 72
comparative analysis, 198
compassion, 219
compilation, 38, 106
complete blood count, 4
complexity, 11, 88, 134
compliance, 123, 125, 205, 235
complications, viii, 5, 30, 34, 43, 45, 47, 53, 55,
56, 57, 69, 71, 72, 73, 74, 127, 255
comprehension, 101, 138, 142, 170, 174
computed tomography, 4, 256
computer, 93
conceptualization, 196, 209, 235
concordance, 33, 48, 50, 214
confessions, 129
confidentiality, 214
configuration, 76
confinement, 231
conflict, 39, 234
conformity, 87
confounding variables, 119
connective tissue, 5, 250
connectivity, 127
conscious awareness, 4
consciousness, 3, 4, 6, 157, 249
consensus, 26, 115, 212, 214, 234, 238, 244, 251,
254
consent, 177, 188
constituents, 207
construction, 219
262
Index
contingency, 37, 111

contour, 60
contrast sensitivity, 59
control group, 85, 86, 155
controlled studies, 211, 251
controversial, 54, 250
controversies, 250
conversations, 222
cooperation, ix
coordination, 29, 76
coping strategies, 209, 210, 214, 223
copper, 8
corpus callosum, 6
correlation, 30, 51, 67, 84, 137, 141, 142, 168,
178, 250
correlations, 141, 143, 157, 175, 178
cortex, 14, 51, 60, 61, 189
corticosteroid therapy, 247
corticosteroids, 4, 9, 242, 245, 246, 247, 251
cortisol, 45, 47, 53, 65, 68, 69
cost, 186, 204
counsel, 233
counseling, 44
criminal activity, 88
criminality, 80, 82, 84, 88, 93, 108, 109
crises, 196, 209, 215
critical analysis, 229, 236
critical period, 7, 127, 189, 190, 198, 199, 200
criticism, 209, 212, 218, 221, 222
cross-sectional study, 244
CSF, 51, 244, 247, 248, 249, 250, 254
CT scan, 8, 135
cues, 38
culture, 165, 179, 201, 238
cure, 208, 239
cycles, 222
cyclophosphamide, 257, 258
Cyprus, ix, 1, 25, 113, 123
cytokines, 54, 55, 241, 251, 256
cytosine, 50
D
danger, 2, 125, 192
dangerousness, 231, 236, 239
data analysis, 93
data collection, 32, 87, 94, 106, 181
death rate, 103
decay, 12
defects, 81
deficiencies, 55
deficiency, 70, 157
deficit, 3, 30, 38, 55, 60, 73, 83, 135, 137, 138,
141, 146, 151, 152, 153, 157, 159, 162, 164,
169, 178, 179, 180, 235, 252
degradation, 58, 138, 170
delinquency, 106, 110
delirium, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 241, 246
delusion, 159, 179
delusions, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 25,
26, 27, 28, 35, 36, 42, 46, 116, 119, 120, 124,
125, 126, 129, 130, 135, 138, 157, 161, 168,
178, 179, 234, 245, 246
dementia, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 21, 124, 140, 144, 161,
171, 180
demyelinating disease, 7, 241
dendritic spines, 56, 189
denial, 114, 211, 231
Denmark, 43, 87, 109
dependent variable, 91, 175
deposition, 8
deposits, 8
depression, 4, 5, 11, 12, 22, 47, 56, 64, 67, 81,
87, 96, 100, 102, 104, 114, 115, 119, 128, 203,
209, 219, 241, 244, 246, 247, 249, 250
depressive symptomatology, 12, 31
depressive symptoms, 12, 13, 29
depth, 46, 48, 115, 135, 158, 209, 215, 216
detachment, 14
detectable, 79, 89
detection, 4, 28, 50, 60, 61, 77, 103, 127, 161,
180, 237
devaluation, 115
developing brain, 33, 34
developmental disorder, 64, 72, 112
developmental milestones, 30
developmental process, 50, 53
deviation, 127
diabetes, 55, 201
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, 26, 40, 124, 130
diagnostic criteria, 15, 32, 33, 92, 129, 171, 233,
241, 244, 245, 254
diathesis-stress model, 45, 46, 53, 63, 191, 205
dichotomy, 152, 159, 164
differential diagnosis, vii, 1, 3, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, 20, 28, 249
diffusion, 249
disability, 2, 22, 72, 88, 110, 125, 126, 130, 212,
246
disabled patients, 81
disaster, 230
discordance, 48
discrimination, 59, 60, 61, 77, 236
disease activity, 245, 247, 254
Index
diseases, 49, 64, 80, 81, 87, 92, 249, 250, 254,
257
disequilibrium, 68
dissociation, 114, 116, 139
distortions, 8, 14
distracters, 144, 170
distress, 39, 184, 185, 190, 193, 194, 198, 201,
209, 213, 214, 246
distribution, 16, 90, 94, 95, 103, 174, 175
diversity, 44, 223, 225, 251
dizygotic, 33
dizygotic twins, 33
DNA, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 67
DNA sequencing, 49
doctors, 123, 129
domestic violence, 115
dominance, 17
dopamine, 29, 51, 53, 58, 68, 73, 189, 241
dopaminergic, 9, 46, 53, 55
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 51
dosage, 174, 245, 255
draft, 236
drawing, 146, 150
drug abuse, 19, 21, 88, 94, 106
drugs, 10, 11, 36, 84, 246
dyslexia, 163
E
early warning, 128, 189, 191, 215
earthquakes, 55
eating disorders, 81, 95, 100, 114, 115
ecology, 220
economic evaluation, 19
editors, 120
education, viii, 37, 38, 88, 140, 167, 172, 174,
175, 177, 185, 189, 195, 196, 213, 215, 216
electroencephalography, 58
electrolyte, 4
elephants, 43
ELISA, 249, 257
elucidation, 63
embryogenesis, 50
emergency, 3, 19, 55
emission, 256
emotion, 59, 76, 199, 211, 212, 217, 219
emotional disorder, 95, 99, 100, 215,
emotionality, 127
empathy, 38
empirical studies, 29
employees, 212
employment, 128, 172, 177, 183, 208, 209, 213,
234, 246, 254
263
employment status, 172, 246, 254
encephalitis, 5, 140
encephalopathy, 5, 20, 249, 250
encoding, 51, 154
encopresis, 95
encouragement, 39, 197, 208, 215, 223, 225
endocrine, 2, 5, 8
endocrinology, 19
endophenotypes, 75, 160
energy, 12
enforcement, 196, 230
England, 41, 131
enlargement, 7, 56
enrollment, 196
entorhinal cortex, 54, 60
environment, 37, 38, 45, 46, 48, 50, 55, 62, 67,
73, 82, 86, 123, 124, 128, 130, 134, 214, 215,
219
environmental conditions, 113
environmental effects, 50
environmental factors, 34, 39, 46, 48, 53, 114
environmental influences, 47, 51, 63
environmental stress, 55, 192
enzyme, 50, 51, 58
epidemic, 54, 235
epidemiology, 32, 43, 68, 109, 252
epigenetics, viii, 45, 48, 49, 52, 62
epilepsy, 2, 5, 6, 20, 28
epithelium, 60
erythrocytes, 255
essential fatty acids, 55
estate planning, 195
estrogen, 53, 62
ethics, 94
ethnic groups, 256
ethnic minority, 40
ethnicity, 32
etiology, ix, 2, 3, 17, 20, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51, 63,
72, 130, 184, 188, 212, 242, 245
euphoria, 13, 246
Europe, 107, 231
evaporation, 139
event-related potential, 61
everyday life, 235
evoked potential, 59, 61
evolution, 3, 104
exaggeration, 142
examinations, 18, 244
excitation, 60
exclusion, 3, 18, 90, 173, 231
excretion, 8
executive function, 29, 58, 155, 160, 164, 178,
181, 246
264
Index
executive functioning, 29, 58, 160, 181

executive functions, 155, 160, 178, 246
experimental design, 150
expertise, 195, 196
exposure, 11, 45, 47, 53, 54, 55, 56, 60, 64, 65,
70, 71, 118, 121, 134, 221
expulsion, 117
external environment, 60
frontal cortex, 54, 60

frontal lobe, 6, 141, 160, 164
fruits, 136, 141
fugue, 8
functional changes, 54, 55, 178, 201
funding, 223
funds, 203
fungi, 5, 139
fusion, 257
F
G
false belief, 1, 26
families, 34, 43, 49, 65, 68, 78, 84, 106, 128, 184,
185, 186, 187, 189, 191, 193, 194, 195, 196,
197, 198, 199, 200, 202, 203, 207, 208, 209,
210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 219,
220, 222, 223, 224, 225, 239
family history, 3, 7, 8, 13, 29, 30, 33, 74, 92, 102,
125, 209
family members, 183, 184, 185, 188, 189, 190,
191, 193, 194, 195, 196, 199, 208, 209, 210,
211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 219, 221, 222,
224, 225, 229
family therapy, 39, 82, 188, 201, 202, 203, 219
famine, 55, 69, 70
fantasy, 26, 34
fatty acids, 7
fear, 40, 59, 101, 114, 129, 191, 194, 209, 230
feelings, 127, 128, 183, 209, 215, 220
female rat, 32
fetal development, 54, 60
fetus, 54, 57, 71
fever, 5
financial, 115, 183
financial support, 183
Finland, 84, 88, 92, 110, 210, 213
first degree relative, 33, 142
first generation, 212
fish, 137, 140
fixed-interval schedule, 37
flashbacks, 116
floods, 55
fluctuations, 63
fluid, 255, 256
fluvoxamine, 36
focal seizure, 249, 250
folate, 55
food, 134
force, 94, 106
Ford, 192, 198
formula, 209
France, 194, 200, 235
freedom, 129, 231
GABA, 29, 51
gallbladder, 7
gender differences, 34, 74, 83
gene expression, 50, 55, 66, 67
gene pool, 231
general practitioner, 89, 94
generalized seizures, 5, 248
genes, viii, 22, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 62,
64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 257
genetic factors, 45, 47, 48, 53, 62
genetic predisposition, 34, 117
genetic testing, 8
genetics, 46, 48, 49, 58, 66, 67, 68, 71, 73, 127
genome, 49, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68
genomics, 65
genotype, 50, 51, 55, 56, 71
geography, 231
gestation, 54, 55, 57, 71
Giraffe, 136
glucocorticoid receptor, 55, 71
glutamate, 29, 48, 49, 51, 54, 57, 58, 59, 189
governance, 224
grading, 158
grandiose delusions, 138
gravity, 231
gray matter, 54, 56, 58, 59, 200
group therapy, 194, 205
growth, 39, 52, 55, 87
guidance, 37, 49, 81, 85, 108, 184, 209, 213, 214
guidelines, 110, 204
guilt, 12, 211
guilty, 115
H
hallucinations, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16,
17, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 36, 38, 42,
46, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 124,
125, 126, 129, 130, 135, 138, 155, 157, 164,
165, 178, 185, 234, 245, 246, 249, 250
Index
happiness, 59
head injury, 6, 135, 171
headache, 5, 242, 249
health, 10, 40, 44, 47, 53, 80, 88, 89, 94, 95, 99,
109, 129, 183, 191, 192, 194, 199, 201, 208,
209, 216, 232, 239, 246
health services, 95, 99, 183, 208, 209
heavy metals, 9
hematocrit, 4
hemiparesis, 248
hemisphere, 60
hemoglobin, 4
hepatolenticular degeneration, 8
heredity, 85
heritability, 48
herpes, 54, 140
herpes simplex, 54, 140
heterogeneity, 17, 63, 192
high-risk populations, 47
hippocampus, 51, 55, 56, 60, 137
histology, 254
history, 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 15, 18, 55, 56, 80, 82, 92,
102, 111, 115, 116, 135, 171, 173, 199, 204,
231, 238, 239
HIV, 4, 5
HLA, 56, 257
homelessness, 117
Hong Kong, 54
hopelessness, 209, 211
hormone, 47, 52, 57, 63, 64
hormones, 45, 47, 54, 57, 63, 64
hospitalization, 39, 88, 196, 211, 234
hostility, 212, 218
housing, 81, 195
HPA axis, 53, 55
human, 47, 51, 56, 61, 66, 69, 71, 78, 85, 127,
134, 229, 231, 236, 248
human development, 127, 231
human dignity, 231
human rights, 229, 236
hurricanes, 64
husband, 233
hybridization, 67
hygiene, 38, 124
hyperactivity, 41, 55, 73
hypersensitivity, 55
hypertension, 241
hyperthyroidism, 4, 20
hypothalamus, 60
hypothesis, 49, 60, 93, 150, 189, 190, 194, 199
hypothyroidism, 4
hypoxia, 34, 55, 56, 69, 73
265
I
iatrogenic, 242
ideal, 201, 208, 217, 223, 225
idealism, 231
identical twins, 33
identification, vii, 1, 2, 37, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63,
65, 90, 92, 119, 123, 126, 135, 230
identification problem, 135
idiosyncratic, 14, 191
illusions, 20, 59
images, 30
imagination, 26
immune activation, 5, 54, 73
immunity, 70
immunostimulant, 56
immunosuppressive agent, 245, 251
impairments, 12, 14, 57, 62, 71, 74, 76, 83, 139,
142, 162
imprinting, 50, 51, 64
improvements, 129, 184, 211
impulsivity, 8
in vivo, 250
incidence, 13, 32, 87, 96, 97, 103, 111, 205, 250,
254, 255
incompatibility, 34, 55, 71
independent variable, 91
India, 216, 253
individual differences, 53, 83
individuals, viii, 9, 17, 32, 33, 35, 45, 46, 49, 50,
51, 54, 55, 57, 59, 60, 75, 78, 80, 81, 87, 89,
95, 97, 98, 99, 101, 103, 104, 106, 115, 116,
117, 119, 124, 125, 128, 129, 134, 141, 142,
144, 146, 155, 157, 171, 183, 184, 185, 187,
188, 189, 190, 192, 194, 195, 196, 238
industrialized countries, 223
infancy, 73, 88
infants, 33, 84
infection, 5, 36, 54, 70, 245
inferences, 29, 30, 171
inflammation, 241, 242
influenza, 34, 54, 70
information processing, 62, 159, 165
informed consent, 186
ingestion, 10
ingredients, 207, 211, 212
inheritance, 7, 8
inhibition, 55, 58, 59, 61, 62, 67, 78, 124, 150,
155, 156, 157, 164, 165, 178
initiation, 9, 111
insanity, 230, 236
insects, 142
insertion, 68, 135
266
Index
insomnia, 12
integration, 29, 58, 59, 60, 120
integrity, 7, 39, 48, 58, 60, 153, 162, 248
intelligence, 81, 102, 140, 153, 161, 174
intensive care unit, 3
interface, 53
interference, 60, 62, 155, 157, 164, 165
interleukin-8, 54, 70
internalised, 222
internalizing, 88
interneurons, 51, 58, 67
interpersonal communication, 198
interpersonal relationships, 125
intervention, 2, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 63, 88, 119,
123, 126, 130, 154, 170, 183, 184, 185, 186,
187, 188, 190, 194, 196, 197, 198, 199, 201,
202, 203, 204, 207, 208, 210, 211, 212, 213,
214, 215, 216, 220, 226, 227, 229, 230, 232,
233, 234, 235, 237, 238
intervention strategies, 88
intimacy, 183
intoxication, 2, 9, 10
intrusions, 26
IQ scores, 29, 30
iron, 55
irritability, 8, 13, 28
isolation, 2, 9, 17, 29, 30, 31, 39, 80, 101, 104,
191, 215, 234
issues, 9, 10, 19, 41, 43, 73, 87, 94, 114, 116,
117, 125, 127, 128, 150, 167, 209, 210, 212,
215, 216, 217, 225, 252
iteration, 46
law enforcement, 196, 231

laws, 133, 167, 230, 236, 239
lead, vii, 7, 10, 48, 49, 55, 81, 127, 129, 190, 192,
214, 219, 224, 241, 250
learning, 29, 38, 80, 86, 91, 139, 216, 234
left hemisphere, 60
legs, 30, 137
leisure, 183, 209
lending, 62
lesions, 7, 61, 77, 155, 164, 245, 254
lexical decision, 146, 149, 152, 163
liberty, 231
life experiences, 114, 119, 127
lifetime, 10, 11, 35, 114, 116, 125, 186, 233
light, ix, 46, 62, 113, 142, 157
Lion, 136
liver, 4, 8, 10
liver enzymes, 4
living environment, 37
lobbying, 223, 224
localization, 7
loci, 49, 66, 67, 137
locus, 49, 50, 51, 66, 68, 158
logistics, 196
loneliness, 80, 101, 104
longitudinal study, 69, 102, 105, 109, 200, 204,
252, 254, 257
Louisiana, 64
love, ix, 134
lupus, ix, 241, 242, 244, 245, 247, 248, 249, 251,
252, 253, 254, 256, 257, 258
lupus anticoagulant, 248
lymphocytes, 255
J
M
Japan, 235
K
Kayser-Fleischer rings, 8
kidney, 242
kidneys, 7, 8
kill, 35
L
laboratory tests, 4, 18
language barrier, 234
language development, 29, 32, 35
latency, 61, 78, 178
later life, 82
laterality, 78
macrophages, 50
magical thinking, 14, 92
magnetic resonance imaging, 4
magnitude, 14, 78, 116, 142, 168
major depression, 12
majority, viii, 97, 114, 117, 123, 124, 125, 145,
168, 184, 190, 191, 194, 225, 235
malnutrition, 47, 53, 54, 55, 70
man, 77, 107, 135, 138, 144, 173
management, vii, 1, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 37, 116,
129, 186, 198, 199, 200, 204, 215, 219, 224,
226, 237, 246, 251, 252, 255
manganese, 9
mania, 4, 7, 13, 23, 102, 159
manic, 11, 12, 13, 16, 28, 29, 96
manufacturing, 234
mapping, 49, 204
Index
marijuana, 9
marital conflict, 38
Markov chain, 152
marriage, 10, 233
Maryland, 252, 253
masking, 59
mass, 89, 117, 224
materials, 84, 85
matrix metalloproteinase, 256
matter, 4, 7, 81, 137, 143, 204, 205
meaning systems, 161
measurement, 116, 146, 249
media, 82
median, 77, 97, 124, 185
medical, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 27,
30, 35, 36, 67, 68, 73, 80, 81, 94, 109, 135,
186, 189, 219, 234, 238
medical history, 135
medication, 2, 10, 11, 36, 39, 114, 119, 123, 125,
126, 127, 129, 135, 142, 172, 175, 177, 186,
191, 193, 207, 208, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215,
219, 230, 232, 234, 235, 241, 242, 251
medication compliance, 39, 125, 211
medicine, 66, 74, 201, 232, 238
MEG, 58, 77
mellitus, 55, 71
memory, viii, 4, 60, 61, 67, 74, 77, 101, 116, 133,
134, 135, 139, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 151,
155, 157, 158, 159, 162, 165, 167, 168, 170,
171, 175, 177, 178, 179, 180, 246, 254
memory function, 135, 145, 171, 175, 178, 246
memory performance, 144, 177
meningitis, 244
mental disorder, 3, 18, 51, 82, 95, 107, 115, 118,
235, 253
mental health, ix, 10, 30, 33, 40, 44, 48, 64, 65,
78, 79, 80, 81, 87, 88, 109, 113, 116, 121, 125,
183, 186, 188, 192, 195, 196, 198, 201, 203,
204, 208, 209, 210, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217,
223, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 236, 239
mental health professionals, ix, 186, 188, 198,
216
mental illness, vii, 3, 19, 43, 44, 49, 66, 71, 114,
129, 173, 188, 195, 200, 202, 230, 231, 232,
234, 237
mental representation, 157
mental retardation, 28, 50, 66, 99, 100
mental state, 1, 6, 158
mentally ill persons, 230, 232
messages, 214, 222
meta-analysis, 48, 49, 52, 65, 66, 72, 137, 139,
141, 142, 147, 150, 155, 158, 160, 164, 168,
267
178, 179, 181, 200, 201, 203, 211, 219, 238,
255
metabolism, 51
methodology, 85, 86, 113, 117
methylation, 50, 51, 52, 67
methylprednisolone, 258
mice, 241
migration, 49
military, 55, 88
minorities, 40
misuse, 22, 115, 171
modelling, 38, 164
models, viii, 46, 48, 53, 54, 55, 65, 67, 70, 88,
130, 136, 141, 151, 154, 155, 157, 184, 190,
199, 208, 209, 212, 216, 225, 229, 236, 255
moderates, 53
moderators, 199
modifications, 187, 230
modifier gene, viii, 45, 47, 48, 49, 52, 56, 62, 63
molecules, 60
mononeuritis multiplex, 245
mood change, 35
mood disorder, 2, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 22, 28, 33,
56, 79, 80, 89, 91, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101,
102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 119, 124, 242, 245,
246
mood swings, 102
morality, 231
morbidity, vii, 88, 109, 184, 200, 252, 254
morphology, 64
mortality, 35, 57, 74, 80, 87, 94, 109, 110, 184,
204, 245, 246, 254
mortality rate, 35
motivation, 12, 150, 190, 192
motor activity, 55
movement disorders, 241
MRI, 4, 7, 8, 75, 245, 249, 251
mRNA, 49, 51, 52, 58, 68
mRNAs, 67
multiculturalism, 44
multidimensional, 142
multiple factors, 192
musculoskeletal system, 8
mussels, 134
mutant, 56, 73
mutations, 7, 8
myelin, 52
myocardial infarction, 179
myxedema, 4
268
Index
N
naming, 133, 135, 137, 138, 139, 143, 144, 146,
152, 153, 156, 161, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171,
173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178
narratives, 229, 233
National Institute of Mental Health, 183, 203
national policy, 201
National Survey, 118
natural disaster, 55, 64
necrosis, 254
negative effects, 4, 232
negative outcomes, 183, 186, 192, 196
negative priming, 157
negative reinforcement, 221
negativity, 58, 61, 74, 75
neglect, 102, 114, 117
nephritis, 254, 256
nervous system, 5, 55, 241, 244, 254
Netherlands, 70, 71
neurobiology, 66
neurohormonal, 46, 47, 57, 61, 63
neuroimaging, 4, 7, 19, 46
neuromotor, 47
neuronal cells, 255
neurons, 51, 58, 59, 189, 201, 248
neuropathy, 7, 245, 248
neurophysiology, 74
neuropsychiatry, 19
neuropsychology, 134, 135, 151
neuropsychopharmacology, 73, 78
neuroscience, 65, 66, 67, 70, 75, 164
neurosyphilis, 5
neurotransmission, 49, 51, 56
neurotransmitter, 29, 46, 51, 53, 58, 189
neurotransmitters, 241
neutral, 59, 149, 221
New England, 19, 66, 179
New Zealand, 63, 160, 180, 198, 205
nicotine, 65
nodes, 141, 145
norepinephrine, 51
normal aging, 161
North America, 202, 235
Norway, 79, 89
nuclei, 61
nucleus, 8, 60
null, 140
nurses, 88
nursing, 82
nutrition, 54
nystagmus, 7
O
obedience, 127
observable behavior, 128
obsessive-compulsive disorder, 81
obstacles, 81, 177, 246
occipital cortex, 60
offenders, 80
old age, 47, 63, 125
olfaction, 60
opportunities, 85
optic neuritis, 249, 250
optimism, 192
optimization, 59
organ, 5, 242, 245
outpatients, 90, 91, 102, 103, 105, 114, 117, 201
overlap, vii, 1, 3, 15, 16, 18, 250
oxidative stress, 7, 54
P
pain, 245
pairing, 146
panic attack, 246
parallel, 51, 82, 83, 84, 90, 140, 146, 153
parallel processing, 146
paranoia, 4, 6, 14, 22, 52, 68, 126, 129, 234
paranoid schizophrenia, 17, 230
parasites, 5
parathyroid, 8
parental criticism, 221
parents, ix, 37, 40, 88, 89, 91, 94, 102, 105, 109,
172, 201, 209, 218, 221
parietal lobe, 6, 61
paroxetine, 36
participants, 87, 117, 118, 144, 145, 146, 161,
170, 173, 185, 197
patents, 234
pathogenesis, 20, 50, 202, 251, 255
pathology, 5, 7, 54, 140, 194, 233, 252
pathophysiological, 124
pathophysiology, 23, 50, 51, 58, 60, 67, 202, 238,
242, 252
pathways, 52, 59, 60, 76, 88, 120, 127, 141
PCR, 67
peer support, 223
percentile, 139
perceptual processing, 59
perfusion, 135
perinatal, 3, 47, 69, 72, 73
peripheral nervous system, 5, 7
perpetrators, 230
Index
persecutory delusion, 12, 28, 193
personal relationship, 92, 220
personality, 7, 8, 14, 16, 23, 35, 54, 70, 82, 95,
100, 107, 114, 115
Peru, 134
pharmaceutical, 234
pharmacological treatment, 11, 67, 130
pharmacotherapy, 36, 39, 43
phenol, 14
phenomenology, 5, 22, 26, 43
phenotypes, 50, 63, 66
Philadelphia, 18, 43
physical abuse, 114, 115, 116, 118
physical activity, 37
physiological factors, 189
physiology, 130
pilot study, 64, 201, 249, 250
placebo, 142
placental abruption, 54, 56
plasticity, 49, 238
plausibility, 49
playing, 30
pleasure, 12
police, 88, 209, 234
policy, 196, 214
politics, 120, 231, 237
polymorphisms, 49, 52, 56, 58, 68, 73, 78
population, 11, 32, 48, 52, 61, 72, 73, 80, 81, 83,
84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 92, 95, 98, 103, 105,
106, 109, 114, 117, 118, 124, 171, 177, 197,
231, 233, 241, 244, 252, 253, 254
population group, 32, 117
positive correlation, 177
positivism, 128
post-traumatic stress disorder, 114
potential benefits, 184, 188, 194
poverty, 26, 30, 141, 157, 178
precipitation, 46, 53
predictive validity, 37, 44, 111, 219
prednisone, 247, 255
preeclampsia, 53, 55
prefrontal cortex, 51, 67, 189
pregnancy, 30, 34, 47, 53, 55, 70, 71, 72, 102,
127
prejudice, 80
premature death, 35
preparation, 4, 200
preservation, 7, 29, 231
prevention, 63, 128, 130, 200, 201, 212, 215
preventive approach, 19
primary visual cortex, 60
primate, 65, 139
269
priming, 60, 133, 143, 146, 148, 149, 150, 151,
152, 153, 157, 162, 163, 168, 169
principles, vii, 1, 94, 213, 216, 217, 223, 229,
232, 236
prisoners, 21
probability, 93, 152, 154
probands, 87
problem solving, 37, 162, 193,195, 210,212, 215,
216, 221, 223
processing deficits, 41, 46, 47, 57, 58, 60, 61
prodromal symptoms, 111, 201
professionals, 21, 38, 129, 198, 213, 216, 223,
224, 225
profit, 234
progesterone, 62, 78
prognosis, viii, 35, 40, 83, 86, 108, 109, 124, 125,
126, 192, 212, 233, 254
programming, 64
pro-inflammatory, 54, 55, 71
project, 59, 60, 86, 87, 88, 93, 94, 203
projective test, 30
prolactin, 6
proliferation, 77
promoter, 51, 67
pronunciation, 149, 163
prostaglandins, 54
prostate carcinoma, 203
protection, 219
proteins, 49, 256, 257
pruning, 127
psychiatric diagnosis, 36, 56, 88
psychiatric disorders, 3, 5, 16, 17, 18, 21, 47, 51,
52, 55, 71, 73, 82, 107, 114, 117, 130, 135,
138, 202, 203, 226, 230
psychiatric hospitals, 87, 88
psychiatric illness, 13, 49, 53, 63, 82, 86, 115
psychiatric morbidity, 94, 121
psychiatric patients, viii, 84, 88, 105, 108, 109,
114, 119
psychiatrist, 188, 234, 247
psychiatry, ix, 18, 19, 22, 23, 43, 44, 63, 66, 67,
68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80,
81, 82, 107, 108, 112, 115, 201, 229, 230, 231,
233, 236, 237, 238, 239, 244
psychobiology, 71
psychoeducational intervention, 185, 203, 209,
210, 235
psychological development, 87, 95, 99, 115
psychology, 44, 76, 77, 107, 162, 237
psychopathology, 3, 19, 34, 35, 43, 44, 47, 56,
60, 63, 69, 73, 77, 78, 83, 84, 88, 92, 100, 102,
107, 110, 111, 154, 238
psychosocial functioning, 17
270
Index
psychosocial interventions, 37, 208, 215, 228

psychosocial stress, 12, 34, 36, 37, 191, 241, 242
psychotherapy, 37, 115, 194, 200
psychotic symptomatology, viii, 10, 25, 27, 28,
31, 32, 36, 37, 39, 40, 113
psychotic symptoms, viii, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 27, 28, 31,
34, 36, 37, 39, 40, 52, 62, 76, 83, 92, 96, 108,
113, 114, 116, 118, 119, 121, 126, 128, 129,
165, 170, 183, 189, 190, 191, 212, 234
PTSD, 28, 114, 115, 116, 119
puberty, 34, 47, 63, 86
public awareness, 88, 130, 184, 223, 224
publishing, 18, 22, 23
purification, 231
P-value, 93
pyrimidine, 50
Q
quality of life, 126, 203, 245, 246
query, 84, 134
questionnaire, 130, 234, 246
R
race, 32, 231, 232
rape, 116, 118
rating scale, 30, 217
reaction time, 60, 146
reactions, ix, 85, 245, 251, 255
reactivity, 56, 248
reading, 38, 94
reality, vii, 1, 31, 123, 127, 129, 157, 225, 246
reasoning, 129
recall, 134, 191
reception, 177, 234
receptors, 48, 49, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 70, 75, 241
recognition, 8, 10, 18, 19, 75, 88, 135, 136, 191,
213, 216, 217, 225, 233
recommendations, 4, 187
recovery, 5, 17, 35, 37, 123, 124, 125, 127, 129,
183, 184, 190, 191, 196, 200, 208, 209, 214,
215, 219, 223, 228, 232, 238
recovery process, 183, 191
recurrence, 123, 126, 130
red blood cells, 8
reform, 81, 183, 201
regenerate, 60
regeneration, 52
registries, 79, 89, 91
Registry, 90, 91
regression, 167, 175

rehabilitation, 135, 154, 169, 170
reinforcement, 37, 38, 39, 208, 221
relapses, 5, 13, 123, 127, 138, 191
relatives, 4, 15, 33, 43, 52, 59, 61, 65, 75, 77, 78,
141, 159, 160, 183, 184, 185, 188, 189, 190,
191, 192, 193, 194, 196, 199, 200, 201, 202,
203, 214, 217, 218, 219, 221
relevance, 155, 230, 245, 257
reliability, 31, 42, 111, 119, 125, 142, 181
remission, 11, 12, 15, 36, 76, 96, 125, 126, 184,
250
renal dysfunction, 241
replication, 49, 50, 74, 141, 145, 152, 219
representativeness, 171
researchers, vii, ix, 49, 50, 54, 55, 92, 114, 115,
117, 119
residues, 50
resilience, 36, 219
resistance, 127
resolution, 59, 61, 237, 247, 251
resources, 116, 183, 197, 201, 209, 223, 224
respiratory distress syndrome, 74
response, 3, 11, 47, 53, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 78,
124, 126, 155, 157, 164, 178, 202, 258
response time, 155
restoration, 62
restrictions, 183
retardation, 12, 95, 99
retirement, 85
rewards, 183
rheumatoid arthritis, 253
right hemisphere, 60
risk factors, viii, 46, 48, 54, 56, 69, 72, 73, 74,
88, 215, 245
risks, 36, 73, 233
rituximab, 251, 258
RNAs, 67
romantic relationship, 191
root, 114
rubella, 54
rules, 134
S
sadness, 59
safety, 3, 128
SAPS, 141, 173, 174, 175, 176
scaling, 142
Scandinavia, 105
scarcity, 29
schizoid personality disorder, 14
Index
schizophrenic patients, 68, 74, 78, 140, 141, 142,
144, 145, 150, 152, 153, 160, 161, 162, 163,
164, 165, 169, 171, 179, 180, 181, 205, 227
schizotypal personality disorder, 14, 23, 42, 53,
59, 64, 76, 78, 92
schizotypy, 61, 64, 77, 159
school, 35, 37, 38, 74, 80, 84, 87, 89, 91, 94, 101,
103, 104, 105, 106, 108, 117, 124, 138, 191
school achievement, 74
schooling, 234
science, 203, 232
scope, 45, 46, 48, 49, 53, 63
seasonality, 54, 69
second generation, 32, 62, 66, 211
secretion, 5, 47, 53, 68, 69
security, 230, 231
seizure, 6, 36, 248
selective attention, 101, 114, 165
self-monitoring, 128, 201
self-reports, 116, 117
semantic activation, 145, 150, 154
semantic association, 134, 146, 152, 155, 164,
168, 169
semantic memory, viii, 133, 134, 135, 137, 138,
140, 141, 142, 143, 146, 147, 150, 151, 154,
155, 156, 157, 158, 161, 162, 164, 165, 167,
168, 169, 170, 171, 174, 175, 177, 178, 179,
180, 181
semantic priming, 146, 150, 152, 162, 163, 169,
180
semantic processing, 138, 146, 159, 163
semantics, 133, 137, 140, 143, 145, 154, 155,
171, 178
senses, 76, 127
sensitivity, 58, 59, 60, 61, 77, 83, 241, 247, 249,
250
sensitization, 238
sensorimotor gating, 46, 48, 61, 62, 65, 78
sensory memory, 75
sensory modality, 1, 9, 26
sensory perceptions, 1
serotonin, 29, 51, 52, 54, 56, 64, 68, 73, 241
sertraline, 36
serum, 6, 10, 51, 247, 248, 249, 255
serum albumin, 247, 255
sex, viii, 45, 46, 47, 52, 53, 57, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65,
68, 74, 88, 109
sex differences, viii, 46, 47, 52, 57, 61, 62, 63, 64
sexual abuse, 114, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121
sexual dimorphism, 45, 57, 63
shape, 209
shortage, 61
showing, 34, 38, 139, 142, 168, 177, 189, 231
271
siblings, 48, 72, 141, 159, 209, 214, 223
side effects, 2, 11, 36, 119, 123, 125, 129, 203
signal transduction, 52
signs, viii, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 46, 57, 74,
79, 80, 87, 89, 92, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 104,
105, 124, 127, 128, 159, 189, 191, 199, 204,
215, 242
SII, 61
simulations, 159
skewness, 174
skills training, 212, 216
skin, 8, 242, 254
slit lamp, 8
SNP, 51, 52
sociability, 56
social adjustment, 59,71, 82, 87, 107, 109, 128,
229, 234
social maladjustment, 31, 85, 87
social network, 209, 212, 213
social services, 88, 89, 94
social support, 59, 199, 208
social withdrawal, 12, 14, 124
society, ix, 43, 81, 88, 115, 125, 230, 231, 236
socioeconomic status, 102, 118
software, 93
solidarity, 223
solution, 139, 145, 171, 193, 195, 223, 230
spasticity, 7
spatial frequency, 59
species, 49
specific knowledge, 50
speech, 2, 8, 17, 26, 27, 28, 30, 35, 57, 74, 92,
101, 124, 125, 137, 138, 141, 145, 150, 154,
157, 161, 178
speech perception, 57, 74
spending, ix, 135
sperm, 54
spine, 7, 201
Spring, 226
stability, 44, 104, 105, 111, 198, 205
stabilization, 40
staffing, 225
standard deviation, 171
standardization, 242
starvation, 34
state, vii, 6, 9, 17, 22, 25, 58, 59, 75, 78, 138,
158, 170, 218, 244, 255
statistics, 92, 93, 125, 145, 155, 171, 174
status epilepticus, 6
stereotypes, 229
steroids, 245, 247
stigma, 40, 209, 215, 224, 229, 231, 232, 233,
234, 236
272
Index
stimulus, 58, 59, 60, 62, 129, 147, 149, 150

stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA), 147
stochastic model, 152
storage, 77, 151, 152, 153, 154, 162, 164, 169,
170, 180
stress, 35, 37, 45, 46, 47, 53, 55, 56, 63, 64, 71,
78, 95, 99, 100, 120, 129, 189, 191, 200, 207,
208, 209, 210, 212, 214, 215, 223
stressful life events, 33, 34, 47, 102
stressors, 15, 34, 35, 55, 128, 191, 242
stroke, 5, 242, 247, 256
structural characteristics, 135
structure, 37, 50, 134, 141, 161, 194
style, 230
substance abuse, 4, 10, 11, 18, 22, 28, 114, 188
substance use, 10, 19, 21, 88, 95, 99, 108, 191,
193, 196, 237
substrates, 47, 64, 165, 178
suicidal behavior, 238
suicide, 11, 35, 81, 86, 87, 91, 95, 97, 103, 108
Sun, 75
supervision, 224, 225
supervisor, 106
supplementation, 70
support services, 214, 215
suppression, 60, 76
surveillance, 230, 235
susceptibility, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 56, 59, 62,
66, 71
Sweden, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 87, 89, 90, 92, 93,
102, 103, 105, 107, 111
Switzerland, 239
synaptic transmission, 49
synchronization, 76
syndrome, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 23, 30, 66, 67,
75, 160, 238, 242, 248
synergistic effect, viii, 46, 48, 236
synthesis, 51, 162, 249
systemic lupus erythematosus, 20, 251, 252, 253,
254, 255, 256, 257, 258
T
tar, 107
tardive dyskinesia, 8
target, 37, 38, 81, 136, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147,
149, 150, 152, 170, 230
target populations, 230
task performance, 60, 77, 137
teachers, 38
teams, 223
techniques, 37, 38, 39, 123, 129, 142, 145, 146,
151, 167, 171, 174, 193, 212
technological advances, 46
technology, 50, 237
teeth, 140
telephone, 203
temporal lobe, 5, 6, 7, 28, 135, 137, 178
teratogen, 45, 47
terrorism, 231, 237
test statistic, 174
testing, 1, 30, 51, 67, 137, 138, 151, 170, 171,
250, 253, 255
textbook, 18, 22, 23, 43
thalamus, 29, 60
therapeutic approaches, 202
therapeutic interventions, 235
therapeutic relationship, 210
therapist, 37, 39, 128, 211, 225
therapy, 9, 39, 44, 82, 119, 120, 123, 129, 194,
200, 202, 203, 220, 228, 233, 249, 255
thoughts, 12, 14, 26, 28, 37, 95, 101, 157, 220
thyroiditis, 5
thyrotoxicosis, 4, 5
time periods, 84
tissue, 6, 250
TNF, 56
tones, 76
toxic effect, 36
toxicology, 10
toys, 35
trade, 89
training, 37, 74, 111, 208, 210, 212, 213, 216,
224, 225, 228, 246
traits, 47, 138, 170
trajectory, 45, 46
transcription, 50
translation, 84
transmission, 34, 47, 57, 75
transport, 247
transportation, 195
trauma, viii, 73, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118,
119, 120, 121, 211, 212
traumatic brain injury, 7, 20
traumatic events, 118
traumatic experiences, 118, 209
tremor, 8
trial, 192, 198, 201, 202, 204
triggers, 128
tropical storms, 64
tryptophan, 73
tumors,5, 6, 20
twins, 33, 48, 73, 86
two-sided test, 97, 100
Index
U
underlying mechanisms, 55, 56, 57, 75, 113, 120
undernutrition, 71
uniform, 2, 80
United, 64, 65, 67, 75, 201, 205, 207, 237
United Kingdom (UK), 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 32, 44,
65, 133, 167, 183, 201, 207, 214, 224, 225,
226, 227, 228, 238, 239
United States (USA), 64, 65, 67, 75, 205, 224,
237
updating, 58, 157, 165
urban, 32, 118
urbanicity, 118
urine, 10
V
valence, 235
validation, 29, 88, 105, 130
variables, 54, 87, 88, 93, 103, 175, 212, 254
variations, 9, 32, 73, 124, 147
variety of domains, 14
vasculitis, 249
vegetables, 136
vehicles, 144, 173, 174
vein, 141, 168
velo-cardio-facial syndrome, 66
verbal fluency, 141, 152, 159, 160, 161, 164, 168,
178, 180, 181
vessels, 241
victimization, 117, 118, 121, 237
victims, 115
violence, ix, 117, 215, 230, 231, 232, 236, 237
viral infection, 34, 54, 55, 70
viruses, 54
visual attention, 60
visual modality, 135
visual processing, 59, 60, 76
visual stimuli, 59, 155
273
vitamin D, 55, 70
vitamin D deficiency, 70
voting, 168, 236
vulnerability, 33, 34, 45, 46, 47, 51, 53, 54, 56,
62, 115, 116, 191, 212, 215
W
war, 55, 82, 231
Washington, 18, 23, 40, 41, 43, 63, 74, 130, 237,
253
water, 137, 144, 173
Wechsler Intelligence Scale, 30
welfare, 214
white matter, 7, 54, 60, 137, 189
wild animals, 142
windows, 46, 139
withdrawal, 2, 9, 10, 14, 29, 31, 37, 135, 157,
209, 220, 221
workers, 83, 104, 105, 145
workforce, 213
working memory, 30, 124, 138, 156, 157, 164,
178, 189, 199
World Health Organization (WHO), 110, 223,
239
World Wide Web, 203
worldwide, 124
Y
Yale University, 92, 183, 186
young adults, 34, 47, 61, 65, 118
young people, 80, 108, 123, 124, 198, 208, 211,
222, 238
young women, 62, 78
Z
zinc, 50

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PSYCHIATRY - THEORY, APPLICATIONS AND TREATMENTS

PSYCHIATRY - THEORY, APPLICATIONS

PSYCHIATRY - THEORY, APPLICATIONS AND TREATMENTS

Copyright 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

NOTICE TO THE READER

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Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. New York

Childhood Trauma and Psychosis

Stages, Course and Prognosis of Psychosis

Semantic Memory and Symptomatology

Semantic Memory Associated with Negative

In: Psychosis: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

E-mail address: [email protected].

Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

DIAGNOSTIC AND ASSESSMENT ISSUES

Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

(ACTH) secretion by a pituitary tumor (Cushings disease), or corticosteroid secretion by an

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Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

Basal Ganglia Disorders

Parkinsons disease (PD). Psychosis is a common neuropsychiatric complication of PD,

2. Secondary Psychosis Due to Substance Abuse

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DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN PRIMARY PSYCHOSES AND MENTAL

Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

whereas in mood disorders it is considered a secondary clinical phenomenon [70]. In patients

Differentiating between Major Depressive Disorder

Differentiating between Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic

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DIFFERENTIATING AMONG PRIMARY PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

Maria-Eva Tsola and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

Brief Psychotic Disorder

Shared Psychotic Disorder

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American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

O. Freudenreich, Differential diagnosis of psychotic symptoms: Medical "mimics,

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[25] J.G. Hanly, G. McCurdy, L. Fougere, J-A. Douglas, and K. Thompson,

[41] M. Walterfang and D. Velakoulis, Storage disorders and psychosis, in Secondary

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[73] W. Coryell, Schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders, in The medical basis of

In: Psychosis: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Psychology Program, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

CLINICAL FEATURES, DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT

Clinical Features of Psychotic Disorders

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES AND PROGNOSIS

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

efficacy of psychopharmacological treatment approaches on Childhood Psychoses and most

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous and Cecilia Essau

ISBN: (eBook)