Clinical features of depression in adolescents with schizotypal disorder

Abstract

To study the clinical features of depressive disorders in adolescents with schizotypal disorder (STD). Were examined 87 adolescents with STD (F21), taken for outpatient or inpatient observation in 2018-2020. Of these, 26 patients were selected (12 males, 14 females, mean age 12.7±2.9 years) diagnosed with clinically significant depression (F32). To assess the severity of depression, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scales (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Self-Assessment Questionnaire (BDI) were used. The SPQ questionnaire was used to quantify the presence of STD symptoms. Depressive disorders were observed in 28% of all examined patients with STD. Signs of dysontogenesis were observed in 92% of the examined. The duration of depressive episodes before the start of treatment averaged 8.7 months, and until therapeutic remission was achieved, an average of 12.6 years. A mild depressive episode according to the HDRS scale corresponded in 23.1% of patients with a moderate degree in 61.5% and a severe one in 3.8%. At the same time, according to the BDI questionnaire, the results were different: there was no mild degree of depression during treatment, moderate-severe degree was detected in 8 (30.1%) patients, in the remaining 16 (61.5%) - extremely severe degree. Suicidal thoughts were noted in 76.9% of the surveyed, while the parents knew about their presence only in 27.0% of adolescents. A suicidal attempt was made by 3 patients (11.5%), one of them repeatedly. Non-suicidal self-injurious behavior was found in 38.5% of patients. Depressive episodes in adolescents with STD are noted chkasto, characterized by the duration and severity of symptoms. Subjective depressive experiences, primarily internal feelings of longing, ideas of failure and guilt, as well as the frequency of anti-vital thoughts and self-injurious behavior, are much more pronounced in adolescents than they demonstrate in everyday life.