Incidence of first-episode psychosis (FEP) varies substantially across geographic regions. Phenotypes of subclinical psychosis (SP), such as psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and schizotypy, present several similarities with psychosis. We aimed to examine whether SP measures varied across different sites and whether this variation was comparable with FEP incidence within the same areas. We further examined contribution of environmental and genetic factors to SP.

We used data from 1497 controls recruited in 16 different sites across 6 countries. Factor scores for several psychopathological dimensions of schizotypy and PLEs were obtained using multidimensional item response theory models. Variation of these scores was assessed using multi-level regression analysis to estimate individual and between-sites variance adjusting for age, sex, education, migrant, employment and relational status, childhood adversity, and cannabis use. In the final model we added local FEP incidence as a second-level variable. Association with genetic liability was examined separately.

Schizotypy showed a large between-sites variation with up to 15% of variance attributable to site-level characteristics. Adding local FEP incidence to the model considerably reduced the between-sites unexplained schizotypy variance. PLEs did not show as much variation. Overall, SP was associated with younger age, migrant, unmarried, unemployed and less educated individuals, cannabis use, and childhood adversity. Both phenotypes were associated with genetic liability to schizophrenia.

Schizotypy showed substantial between-sites variation, being more represented in areas where FEP incidence is higher. This supports the hypothesis that shared contextual factors shape the between-sites variation of psychosis across the spectrum.

Prevention of disorders has become a central element of psychiatric research and clinic. Currently, Ultra High Risk (UHR) criteria are internationally recognized for psychiatric risk assessment. Self Disorders (SD) aroused particular interest because they were found to be specific to schizophrenic spectrum disorders and a marker of vulnerability for psychotic onset.

To evaluate the correlation between psychotic risk and depressive symptoms in at-risk adolescent population.

We collected data from 80 patients, aged 14-18, with sufficient skills in the Italian language and an IQ ≥70, excluding patients with disorders related to direct effects of a general medical condition or substance. Psychodiagnostic evaluation included K-SADS-PL, SIPS/SOPS, EASE (for the assessment of SDs) and the CDSS (for the assessment of Depression).

35 subjects have UHR criteria, while 45 do not have a psychotic risk syndrome or psychotic features. Between the two groups there is a significant difference in the total SCORE of EASE, in domains 1, 2 and 5. In addition, a positive correlation between SDs and depressive symptoms emerged, in particular with pathological guilt and with reference ideas of guilt.

The results confirm the validity of SDs for early detection of psychosis. Depressive features appear to be associated with the presence of abnormalities of experience. This results suggest a close care and monitoring of depressive symptoms in adolescence, because they can mask disorders of different nature, particularly pathological guilt and guilty ideas of reference that are depressive “cognitive” symptoms more correlate with psychotic risk.

No significant relationships.