Stress and protective factors in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis and healthy controls

Abstract

Stress-vulnerability models of schizophrenia regard psychosocial stress as an important factor in the onset and aggravation of psychotic symptoms, but such research in the early phases of psychosis is limited. Protective factors against the effects of stress might be the key to understanding some inconclusive findings and to the development of optimal psychosocial interventions. The present study compared self-reported levels of stress, self-esteem, social support and active coping in 32 patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP), 30 individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) and 30 healthy controls. Associations with symptoms of psychosis were assessed in both patient groups. Individuals at UHR reported significantly higher stress levels compared to FEP patients. Both patient groups showed lower self-esteem compared to controls, and the UHR group reported lower social support and active coping than controls. These group differences could not be explained by age and dose of antipsychotic medication in the FEP group. In the UHR group, higher stress levels and lower self-esteem were associated with more severe positive and depressive symptoms on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Multiple regression analyses revealed that stress was the only significant predictor for both symptom measures and that the relationship was not moderated by self-esteem. Our findings show that individuals at UHR for psychosis experience high levels of psychosocial stress and marked deficits in protective factors. The results suggest that psychosocial interventions targeted at reducing stress levels and improving resilience in this population may be beneficial in improving outcomes.