Components of schizophrenia liability affect the growth of psychological stress sensitivity following major life events

Abstract

BackgroundSome argue that physiological and psychological stress sensitivities contribute causally to schizophrenia. Indeed, evidence shows that those with or at risk for schizophrenia have highly sensitive stress responses. However, it is unclear how psychological stress sensitivity develops. Our aim was to test whether psychological stress sensitization develops longitudinally in association with major life events and components of schizophrenia liability. We expected schizophrenia liability to predict higher psychological stress sensitivity; life events to predict subsequent increases in psychological stress sensitivity; and schizophrenia liability to moderate this relationship. MethodsIn a prospective study, undergraduates (n = 184) completed a measure of schizophrenia liability at baseline. Then at 2-month intervals over 6 months, they reported on the occurrence of major life events and completed measures of psychological stress sensitivity. ResultsLatent variable growth modelling showed that stress sensitivity increased following incident life events when controlling for baseline life events. Higher cognitive-perceptual and interpersonal scores predicted higher baseline sensitivity. Higher cognitive-perceptual features predicted larger increases in psychological stress sensitivity following life events whereas greater disorganization reduced growth. ConclusionsThis evidence is consistent with the idea that psychological sensitization is involved in the development of schizophrenia and suggests an important link between positive features of schizophrenia liability and the magnification of psychological stress sensitivity.