Psychic Experiences Research Articles

Body image as a mediator in the relationship between psychotic experiences and later disordered eating: A 12-month longitudinal study in high school adolescents

IntroductionPsychotic experiences (PE) and disordered eating (DE) are frequently observed among the general population, especially in childhood and adolescence. However, the relationship between the two groups of disorders is still unclear.ObjectivesTo explore the hypothesis that the pathways from PEs to DE are mediated by body-image disturbances in a sample of adolescentsMethodsWe conducted a 12-month longitudinal study on high school students from four different high schools from the Ariana governorate, from April 2022 to April 2023.Participants were evaluated at baseline then every 6 months with a target length of follow-up of 1 year.The questionnaire containedQuestions about socio demographic variablesThe Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26)The Multidimensionnal Body Self-Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS)The Community Assesment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-42)Results1) Sample characteristicsSample was constituted of 510 individuals. Of those, 312 (61.2%) were females. Mean age was of 16.05 (SD=1.01) years.The majority of the students resided in urban areas, accounting for 97.8% of the total.When it comes to family income, 4.1% of the students’ families had an income of less than 1000 Tunisian Dinars (TD), 25.9% had an income between 1000 and 2000 TD, 32.2% had an income ranging from 2000 to 3000 TD, and the remaining 37.8% had a family income of over 3000 TD.The EAT-26, MBSRQ-AS and CAPE-42 scores are shown in table 1. Table 1.The longitudinal evolution of study variables Baseline T 6 months T 12 months pPartial Eta Squared η2Disordered eating (EAT-26)11.9 ± 9.411.9 ± 9.712.6 ± 10.2.080.006Self-classified weight (Body image)6.0 ± 1.75.9 ± 1.66.0 ± 1.6.946.001Body areas satisfaction30.9 ± 6.431.8 ± 6.431.4 ± 6.8.025.010Overweight preoccupation9.3 ± 3.69.2 ± 3.79.2 ± 3.7.545.001Appearance Orientation41.0 ± 5.441.6 ± 5.441.6 ± 5.5.007.014CAPE positive dimension (total)39.6 ± 8.739.1 ± 9.139.7 ± 9.5.756.001Body Mass index21.6 ± 3.421.5 ± 3.221.7 ± 3.2.034.0092) Findings of the mediating analysisDisordered Eating scores had no significant effect in subjects across time. However, the effect of the interaction between baseline Overweight Preoccupation with Disordered Eating across time was statistically significant (p=0.036). Overweight Preoccupation (Z=85.095, p<0.001), Body Area Satisfaction (Z=25.053, p<0.001), and CAPE positive dimension (Z=59.931, p<0.001) scores had significant main effects between subjects. (figure 1 and figure 2)Image:Image 2:ConclusionsFindings showed that body image disturbances mediated the prospective association between PEs and DE. Adolescents with increased PEs were more likely to experience body image disturbances and, in turn, DE symptoms. These findings offer promising new avenues for prevention and early intervention.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Neurocognition and brain functional connectivity in a non-clinical population-based sample with psychotic experiences

We characterized the neurocognitive profile of communed-based individuals and unaffected siblings of patients with psychosis from Brazil reporting psychotic experiences (PEs). We also analyzed associations between PEs and the intra and inter-functional connectivity (FC) in the Default Mode Network (DMN), the Fronto-Parietal Network (FPN) and the Salience Network (SN) measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging. The combined sample of communed-based individuals and unaffected siblings of patients with psychosis comprised 417 (neurocognition) and 85 (FC) volunteers who were divided as having low (<75th percentile) and high (≥75th percentile) PEs (positive, negative, and depressive dimensions) assessed by the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. The neurocognitive profile and the estimated current brief intellectual quotient (IQ) were assessed using the digit symbol (processing speed), arithmetic (working memory), block design (visual learning) and information (verbal learning) subtests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-third edition. Logistic regression models were performed for neurocognitive analysis. For neuroimaging, we used the CONN toolbox to assess FC between the specified regions, and ROI-to-ROI analysis. In the combined sample, high PEs (all dimensions) were related to lower processing speed performance. High negative PEs were related to poor visual learning performance and lower IQ, while high depressive PEs were associated with poor working memory performance. Those with high negative PEs presented FPN hypoconnectivity between the right and left lateral prefrontal cortex. There were no associations between PEs and the DMN and SN FC. Brazilian individuals with high PEs showed neurocognitive impairments like those living in wealthier countries. Hypoconnectivity in the FPN in a community sample with high PEs is coherent with the hypothesis of functional dysconnectivity in schizophrenia.

Distal and proximal risk factors of problematic cannabis use associated with psychotic-like experiences

BackgroundProblematic cannabis use is associated with endorsement of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in non-clinical samples. However, little is known in regard to predictors of this relationship, which may be relevant to prevention and intervention. In the present research, we investigate impulsivity and cannabis use motives as potential distal and proximal risk factors for PLEs using conditional process analysis. MethodsUsing an online cross-sectional survey of N = 300 students, we assessed endorsement of PLEs using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), problematic cannabis use with the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT-R), motivations for using cannabis with the Substance Use Motives Measure, and impulsivity using the Urgency and Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency Impulsive Behaviour Scale (UPPS-P). ResultsAll three subscales on the CAPE were associated with significantly higher scores on the CUDIT-R. Before and after covarying for sex, we found that higher CUDIT-R scores mediated the relations between lack of perseverance and negative urgency impulsivity with higher PLE symptoms. Furthermore, the indirect effect of cannabis use on the relationship between lack of perseverance and high negative PLE symptoms was only significant at high and moderate levels of depression-coping, but not at low depression-coping motives. ConclusionImpulsivity and depression-coping motives may be distal and proximal psychological risk factors for negative PLEs in the context of problematic cannabis use. Our findings are in line with the broader substance use and mental health literature and may be informative for cannabis use treatment targets.

The role of psychotic-like experiences in the association between aberrant salience and anxiety: A psychopathological proposal based on a case-control study.

Aberrant salience (AS) and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been proven to be linked. Moreover, anxiety is a key symptom in psychosis-prone subjects and most psychotic patients. We propose a model that attempts to interpret the role of PLEs in the association between AS and anxiety among healthy controls and psychotic patients. Demographic and psychometric data (Aberrant Salience Inventory, Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences, Symptom Check List-90-revised) from 163 controls and 44 psychotic patients was collected. Descriptive statistics, correlations, a linear regression model and a mediation analysis with covariates were subsequently performed. AS correlated with more frequent positive PLEs and higher anxiety levels in both patients and controls. However, positive PLEs' frequency mediated the relationship between AS and anxiety only among controls. PLEs linked to AS appear to induce anxiety among the control group but not among psychotic patients. The progressive loss of both novelty and insight, which may, respectively, impair the somatic emotional reactivity to PLEs and the ability to recognize some bodily phenomena as the embodied correlates of anxiety, is seen as the most probable theoretical explanation.

A Few Words More about Victorian Women Writers and Germany: George Eliot and Amy Levy

Abstract This article revisits the relation between George Eliot and Amy Levy (1861–89), a lesbian New Woman Jewish poet, novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. Levy’s most familiar response to Eliot is a scene in Reuben Sachs (1889), Levy’s last novel, which mocks Eliot’s portrayal of Jewish characters in Daniel Deronda (1876). But Levy was an avowed admirer of Eliot in her early life and alluded to Eliot positively in the short story “Between Two Stools” (1883). In considering Eliot’s potential legacy for Levy, this article examines their shared representation of psychic experience in “The Lifted Veil” (1859) and “The Recent Telepathic Incident at the British Museum” (1887), their shared consideration of conflicts between women’s intellectual aspirations and domesticity in Armgart (1870) and “Xantippe” (1880), and their shared representations of persecution of the Roma in The Spanish Gypsy (1868) and “Run to Death” (1879).

Cross-sectional association between metabolic parameters and psychotic-like experiences in a population-based sample of middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Metabolic alterations are often found in patients with clinical psychosis early in the course of the disorder. Psychotic-like experiences are observed in the general population, but it is unclear whether these are associated with markers of metabolism. A population-based cohort of 1890 individuals (mean age 58.0years; 56.3% women) was included. Metabolic parameters were measured by body-mass index (BMI), concentrations of low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), total cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose and insulin in blood. Frequency and distress ratings of psychotic-like experiences from the positive symptom dimension of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experience questionnaire were assessed. Cross-sectional associations were analysed using linear regression analyses. Higher BMI was associated with higher frequency of psychotic-like experiences (adjusted mean difference: 0.04, 95% CI 0.02-0.06) and more distress (adjusted mean difference: 0.02, 95% CI 0.01-0.03). Lower LDL-C was associated with more psychotic-like experiences (adjusted mean difference: -0.23, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.06). When restricting the sample to those not using lipid-lowering medication, the results of BMI and LDL-C remained and an association between lower HDL-C and higher frequency of psychotic-like experiences was found (adjusted mean difference: -0.37, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.05). We observed no significant associations between cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin or homeostatic model assessment and psychotic-like experiences. In a population-based sample of middle-aged and elderly individuals, higher BMI and lower LDL-C were associated with psychotic-like experiences. This suggests that metabolic markers are associated with psychotic-like experiences across the vulnerability spectrum.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and white matter plasticity in individuals with subclinical depression and psychotic experiences: A Randomised Controlled Trial

BackgroundResearch indicates that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Daily Life (ACT-DL) is effective in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychosis. During adolescence, vulnerability to psychopathology peaks, creating a window for early interventions, while white matter development is ongoing. This study aims to examine microstructural white matter after ACT-DL intervention in youngsters with mild psychopathology. MethodsForty-five individuals with mild psychopathology were randomly allocated to ACT-DL (n=20) or topic discussion control (TD, n=25). Symptomatology was assessed with the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and network-connectivity parameters were obtained and compared before and after the intervention/control condition. Interactions between microstructural white matter change and condition were examined in models of CAPE positive symptoms and ESM subclinical psychotic experiences (PE) and negative affect (NA) levels. ResultsACT-DL, compared to TD, was associated with changes on subclinical depressive and psychotic symptom levels. There was no significant change in DWI or network connectivity in either condition and no significant difference between both conditions. In the model of NA, several regional interactions between condition and network measures were significant, but stratification per condition provided no significant associations. There were no significant interactions between DWI or network connectivity parameters and condition in the models of the CAPE positive symptoms, MADRS and PE. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that behavioral (symptom) changes are more sensitive to a five-week psychological training than microstructural white matter changes which did not show significant changes over time.

Depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between the retrospectively measured symptoms of premenstrual disorders and negative but not positive psychotic-like experiences

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between retrospectively measured premenstrual symptoms and subclinical forms of positive and negative psychotic symptoms (psychotic-like experiences; PLEs). It was hypothesised that subjective intensity of the symptoms of premenstrual disorders predicts PLEs frequency and that this relationship is mediated by anxiety and depression. The study sample comprised 108 non-clinical subjects. Study variables were assessed with self-report questionnaires: the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST); the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; trait sub-scale); the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Regression and mediation analyses were performed. The PSST scores were significantly and positively associated with psychotic-like experiences frequency. The relation was stronger for positive PLEs. Anxiety and depression partially mediated the relationship between premenstrual symptoms and negative PLEs, but not between premenstrual symptoms and positive PLEs. Although the design of the study does not allow to infer causality, it demonstrates strong, positive relationship between the symptoms of premenstrual disorders and psychotic-like experiences. The relationship between premenstrual disorders and negative PLEs seems to be partially based on a general psychopathological factor. Further longitudinal studies are needed to test whether premenstrual disturbances increase risk of psychotic symptoms.

Clinical presentation of psychotic experiences in patients with common mental disorders attending the UK primary care improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) Programme

BackgroundImproving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services address anxiety and depression in primary care, with psychotic disorders typically excluded. Our previous research found 1 in 4 patients report distressing psychotic experiences (PE) alongside common mental disorders, yet little is known about their clinical presentation and impact on recovery. MethodsWe used the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences — Positive Scale (CAPE-P15) to assess the clinical presentation and symptomatic profile of PE within IAPT settings across three National Health Service (NHS) trusts, serving a diverse population in Southern England. We identified different classes based on the reported PE frequencies using latent class analysis. ResultsA total of 2042 IAPT patients completed the CAPE-P15. The mean age was 39.8 (±15.3) years. We identified five distinct classes of symptom profiles, findings that PE were common, especially self-referential and persecutory ideas. Prevalence and intensity increased across classes, extending to bizarre experiences and perceptual abnormalities in the fifth and least common class. Perceptual abnormalities were a strong indicator of symptom severity, with patients being the least likely to achieve recovery by the end of treatment. LimitationsData were collected during a service evaluation. Replication of these findings across other IAPT services could prove beneficial. We did not collect information on negative PE. ConclusionsPatients seeking treatment for anxiety and depression in primary care commonly experience a wide range of positive PE. Self-referential and persecutory ideation were prevalent; perceptual abnormalities were infrequent. Providing information about prevalence and tailoring therapy may help reduce patient distress.

Hasty decision making and belief inflexibility in the more delusion prone? A modified disambiguating-scenarios paradigm assessing cognitive biases implicated in delusions.

Contemporary models of psychosis imply that cognitive biases such as the jumping to conclusions (JTC), the bias against disconfirmatory evidence (BADE), and the liberal acceptance (LA) bias play a role in the pathogenesis of delusions. Most of the studies investigating the role of cognitive biases, however, have been conducted with socially neutral or abstract stimuli and have assessed patients with established psychoses. For the present study, we aimed to concurrently investigate multiple biases (i.e., the JTC, BADE, and LA biases) in a community sample with a new paradigm using more socially engaging stimuli. A large sample of participants (N=874) recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk was subdivided into two groups based on the frequency of their psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) according to the positive subscale score of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) and matched based on major demographics variables, resulting in two equally sized groups called High-PLE (at least 2 SD above the mean) and Low-PLE (maximum 0.5 above the mean; n=46 for each group). Using a modified version of the written-scenarios BADE task, which emphasized social interactions between agents embedded in the scenario, participants rated the plausibility of response options in the face of new information. In line with previous findings, the High-PLE group demonstrated the JTC, BADE, and LA biases. That is, the members of this group made more decisions after the initial piece of information, were less likely to revise their beliefs in light of new information, and provided higher plausibility ratings for implausible response options compared to the Low-PLE group. Results corroborate prior findings suggesting that the JTC, BADE, and LA biases may be contributing factors in delusional ideation and that metacognitive biases extend to social situations.

Internet addiction and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students: the mediating role of psychotic-like experiences.

Individuals with Internet addiction (IA) are at significant risk of suicide-related behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among IA, psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), and suicidal ideation (SI) among college students. A total of 5,366 college students (34.4% male, mean age 20.02 years) were assessed using the self-compiled sociodemographic questionnaires, Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R), 15-item Positive subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-P15), Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS), and 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). The prevalence of IA and SI were 9.3 and 12.1% among Chinese college students, respectively. There were direct effects of IA and PLEs on SI. The total effect of IA on SI was 0.18 (p < 0.001). PLEs mediated the relationship between IA and SI (Indirect effect = 0.07). IA had both direct and indirect effects on SI. These findings enable us to elucidate the mechanism of how IA influences individual SI, which can provide vital information for developing and implementing targeted interventions and strategies to alleviate SI among Chinese college students.

Associations between post-traumatic stress disorders and psychotic symptom severity in adult survivors of developmental trauma: a multisite cross-sectional study in the UK and South Korea

Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for the development of post-traumatic stress disorders and psychosis. However, the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including complex PTSD, and psychotic symptoms is unknown. We investigated whether the presence of PTSD and complex PTSD was associated with psychotic symptom severity within survivors of developmental trauma. As part of the Investigating Mechanisms underlying Psychosis Associated with Childhood Trauma (IMPACT) study, from Aug 20, 2020, to Jan 24, 2021, and from Sept 9, 2022, to Feb 21, 2023, using study advertisement on online platforms we recruited adult (≥18 years) participants who had experienced developmental trauma without a psychiatric diagnosis in the UK and South Korea. We measured whether participants met diagnostic thresholds for PTSD and complex PTSD using the self-reported International Trauma Questionnaire, and psychotic symptoms using the self-reported Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. We used linear regression, adjusting for sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, ethnicity, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status, to examine whether there was an association between PTSD and complex PTSD and psychotic symptoms. The study is registered in the UK (University College London Research Ethics Committee [14317/001] and the National Health Service Research Ethics Committee [22/YH/0096]) and South Korea (Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital [B-2011-648-306]), and is ongoing. Of the 2675 participants who took part in the study, 1273 had experienced developmental trauma and were included in the study in the UK (n=475) and South Korea (n=798), comprising 422 (33%) men and 851 (67%) women with a mean age of 26·9 years (SD 6, range 18-40), mostly of White British (n=328) or South Korean (n=798) ethnicity. We found no significant association between PTSD and psychotic symptom severity (total severity β=-2·40 [SE 3·28], p=0·47), compared with participants who did not meet PTSD or complex PTSD caseness. We found a significant relationship between complex PTSD and psychotic symptom severity (total severity β=22·62 [SE 1·65], p<0·0001), including for positive (β=12·07 [SE 0·99], p<0·0001) and negative symptoms (β=10·5 [SE 0·95], p<0·0001), compared with participants who did not meet PTSD or complex PTSD caseness. Health systems must assess individuals with previous developmental trauma for complex PTSD and treat those affected. These individuals should also be assessed for psychotic symptoms, and if necessary, preventative measures should be taken to reduce risk of conversion. Further work should assess whether treating complex PTSD modifies the risk of conversion to psychosis. UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, British Medical Association Margaret Temple Award for Schizophrenia Research, and the National Research Foundation of Korea-Korea Government.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) combined with unsupervised machine learning shows sensitivity to identify individuals in potential need for psychiatric assessment

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a structured diary assessment technique, has shown feasibility to capture psychotic(-like) symptoms across different study groups. We investigated whether EMA combined with unsupervised machine learning can distinguish groups on the continuum of genetic risk toward psychotic illness and identify individuals with need for extended healthcare. Individuals with psychotic disorder (PD, N = 55), healthy individuals (HC, N = 25) and HC with first-degree relatives with psychosis (RE, N = 20) were assessed at two sites over 7 days using EMA. Cluster analysis determined subgroups based on similarities in longitudinal trajectories of psychotic symptom ratings in EMA, agnostic of study group assignment. Psychotic symptom ratings were calculated as average of items related to hallucinations and paranoid ideas. Prior to EMA we assessed symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Community Assessment of Psychic Experience (CAPE) to characterize the EMA subgroups. We identified two clusters with distinct longitudinal EMA characteristics. Cluster 1 (NPD = 12, NRE = 1, NHC = 2) showed higher mean EMA symptom ratings as compared to cluster 2 (NPD = 43, NRE = 19, NHC = 23) (p < 0.001). Cluster 1 showed a higher burden on negative (p < 0.05) and positive (p < 0.05) psychotic symptoms in cross-sectional PANSS and CAPE ratings than cluster 2. Findings indicate a separation of PD with high symptom burden (cluster 1) from PD with healthy-like rating patterns grouping together with HC and RE (cluster 2). Individuals in cluster 1 might particularly profit from exchange with a clinician underlining the idea of EMA as clinical monitoring tool.

The invisible other: Rituals and Egyptian perception of the unknowable

AbstractThis paper is positioned within broader scholarly debates about ritual‐religious and psychological elements underlying the phenomenon of altered states of mind in Egyptian Muslim contexts. This research examines the intricate relationships between ritual, consciousness, and the unseen/unknowable world reflected in the imagination and practices of urban and rural communities belonging administratively to the city of Tanta in Egypt. This comparative study proposes that the image of the embodied invisible Other, in both benevolent and malevolent forms, impacts the state of consciousness of persons participating in two different rituals, the zikr (remembrance of God) and the zār (the exorcism of spirits). This inquiry concentrates on the transformation of the states of people's consciousness, namely the majzūb (those mystically attracted to God) and the malbūs (those possessed by spirits), through embodied engagement with the invisible Other that is made visible through participation in the ritual performances of the zikr and/or the zār. Rituals performed by Egyptians, particularly those who experience altered states of consciousness, display both a psychic (emotional) experience and an encounter with the invisible Other that may be depicted as divine or otherwise non‐divine. Each case of the zikr ritual and zār cult relates to its participants' perception of reality.

Disturbo da gioco d'azzardo ed evoluzione affettiva: osservazioni da un caso clinico

Through a clinical case, this work highlights some characteristics of personality of patients with a gambling disorder, such as relational closure, isolation and withdrawal into a segregated dimension of psychic experience.

Associations between digital media use and psychotic experiences in young adults of Quebec, Canada: a longitudinal study.

Digital media use has been associated with psychotic experiences in youth from the community, but the direction of association remains unclear. We aimed to examine between- and within-person associations of digital media use and psychotic experiences in youth. The sample included 425 participants aged 18-25years (82.5% female) from the community, followed between May 2021 and January 2022 over 3 time points-of which 263 participants (61.9%) completed at least 2. Digital media use was self-reported as time spent daily on TV and streaming platforms, social media, and video games over the past 3months. Psychotic experiences in the past 3months were measured with the 15-item Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. Associations between digital media use and psychotic experiences were estimated using a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model. On average, individuals who reported greater digital media use also reported higher levels of psychotic experiences (r = 0.34, 95% CI 0.15, 0.53). However, a person's variation in digital media use, relative to their personal average, was not significantly associated with subsequent variations in their levels of psychotic experiences, or vice-versa. Results were similar across TV/streaming, social media and video game use, and after adjusting for age, sex, education, sleep, physical activity, and cannabis use. Individuals with a tendency for higher levels of digital media use also had a tendency for higher levels of psychotic experiences. Understanding this association may help personalize mental health interventions for people with psychotic experiences, which may be offered digitally to promote their accessibility.

The Role of Early Trauma in the Formation of Belief in Reptilian Conspiracy Theories: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

This paper investigates whether conspiracy theories arising during the COVID‐19 pandemic are linked to early trauma or a specific organization of the mind. Using the Reptilian conspiracy theory as an example, the paper proposes that belief in conspiracy theories can activate unresolved memories of trauma and serve as a mediator between the psyche and intrusive content. Classic psychoanalytic concepts, as well as more modern ideas from Britton and Steiner, are explored to understand the role of early trauma and inner object relations dynamics in the development of Belief in Reptilian Conspiracy Theories (BiCT). The concept of après‐coup is introduced to explain how newer responses to familiar psychic experiences may shape beliefs in conspiracies. Additionally, the paper proposes that belief in conspiracy theories can function as a psychic retreat. Two clinical cases are presented to illustrate these ideas while maintaining anonymity.

The predictive role of psychotic-like experiences in suicidal ideation among technical secondary school and college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundPrevious research has shown the strong association between psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and suicide. However, the predictive role of PLEs in suicidal ideation (SI) during the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear.AimsThis study aimed to explore the association between PLEs before the pandemic and SI during the pandemic among late adolescents.MethodsA total of 938 technical secondary school and college students completed both waves of the online survey before and during the pandemic. PLEs were assessed through the 15-item Positive Subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. SI was evaluated by the frequency of SI during the pandemic.ResultsIn early stage of the pandemic, most students had low frequent SI, and only 3.3% students showed high frequent SI. Compared to the low frequent group, the high frequent group exhibited significantly higher levels of PLEs (p < 0.001) and scored lower in resilience (p = .001) and perceived social support (p = .008) across the two timepoints. PLEs were significantly associated with higher risk of high frequent SI (OR = 2.56, 95%: 1.07–6.13), while better resilience (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88–0.99) and stronger perceived social support (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93–0.99) appeared to be protective factors. No interactions were found among PLEs and other psychosocial and psychological factors.ConclusionsPLEs may increase the risk of SI in early stage of the pandemic, while good resilience and adequate social support can help weaken the risk.

Psychotic-like experiences in obsessive compulsive disorder

Background and objectivesThe study aims to compare individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and healthy individuals in terms of psychosis-like experiences (PLEs) and investigate the relationship between PLEs and OCD severity. MethodsSociodemographic information form, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the positive dimension of Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-P), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) were applied to 83 OCD patients and 83 healthy individuals. The 11th item of Y-BOCS (Y-BOCS-11) was used to evaluate the level of insight. The OCD group was compared with the healthy control group in terms of sociodemographic information and CAPE-P score. In the OCD group, mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the factors affecting the relationship between OCD severity and PLEs. ResultsThe OCD group had higher CAPE-P scores than the healthy control group. CAPE-P scores were weakly correlated with Y-BOCS-11 and Y-BOCS total scores. It was found that the relationship between OCD severity and PLEs was mediated by poor insight; however, the scores of depression and anxiety did not. ConclusionThe results show that the level of insight is a determinative factor for PLEs in OCD. The fact that PLEs are common in the OCD group and healthy individuals support the concept of the psychosis continuum. We emphasize that being aware of PLEs in OCD can provide new understandings of the phenomenon of OCD and psychosis.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences in General Population.

The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences has been widely translated and commonly used as a measure for psychotic experiences and psychosis proneness in clinical and research environments worldwide. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) and factor structure of a Korean version of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (K-CAPE) in the general population. A total of 1,467 healthy participants completed K-CAPE and other psychiatric symptom-related scales (Paranoia scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Dissociative Experiences Scale-II, and Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences) via online survey. K-CAPE's internal reliability was analyzed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to investigate whether the original three-factor model (positive, negative, and depressive) and other hypothesized multidimensional models (including positive and negative subfactors) were suitable for our data. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to explore better alternative factor solutions with a follow-up CFA. To assess convergent and discriminant validity, we examined correlations between K-CAPE subscales with other established measures of psychiatric symptoms. K-CAPE showed good internal consistency in all original three subscales (all greater than α=0.827). The CFA demonstrated that the multidimensional models exhibited relatively better quality than the original three-dimensional model. Although the model fit indices did not reach their respective optimal thresholds, they were within an acceptable range. Results from the EFA indicated 3-5 factor solutions. In 3-factor solution, "negative-avolition" items were founded to be loaded more consistently with depressive items than with the negative dimension. In 4-factor solution, positive items were divided into two subfactors: "positive-bizarre experiences" and "positive-delusional thoughts," while negative symptoms were separated into two distinct subfactors in 5-factor solution: "negative-avolition (expressive)," and "negative-social (experiential)." The correlation coefficients between K-CAPE subscales and corresponding measurements were significant (p<0.001), confirming the convergent and discriminant validity. Our study provides evidence to support the reliability and validity of the K-CAPE and its use as a measure of psychotic symptoms in the Korean population. Although alternative factor structures did not improve the model fit, our EFA findings implicate the use of subfactors to investigate more specific domains of positive and negative symptoms. Given the heterogeneous nature of psychotic symptoms, this may be useful in capturing their different underlying mechanisms.