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Development of schizotypal symptoms following psychiatric disorders in childhood or adolescence

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Abstract

It was examined how juvenile psychiatric disorders and adult schizotypal symptoms are associated. 731 patients of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands, with mean age of 12.1 years (SD = 4.0) were reassessed at the mean age of 27.9 years (SD = 5.7) for adult schizotypal symptoms using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Revised (Vollema, Schizophr Bull 26(3):565–575, 2000). Differences between 13 juvenile DSM categories and normal controls (n = 80) on adult schizotypal total and factor scores were analyzed, using (M)ANCOVA. Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), deferred diagnosis, sexual and gender identity disorders and depressive disorders had higher SPQ total scores when compared to normal controls (p < 0.001). Higher levels of disorganized schizotypal symptoms were found for PDD, ADHD, and deferred diagnosis (p < 0.001). The same diagnostic groups showed higher level of negative schizotypal symptoms, which was likewise true for sexual and gender identity disorders, depressive disorders, disruptive disorders, and the category of ‘Other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention’ (p < 0.001). No differences with normal controls were found for adult positive schizotypal symptoms (p < 0.110). The current findings are suggestive of the idea that psychiatric disorders in childhood or adolescence are a more general expression of a liability to schizophrenia spectrum pathology in future life. In addition, specific patterns of adult schizotypal symptomatology are associated with different types of juvenile psychiatric disorder.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the many bachelor and master students of Leiden University who participated in this study, and in particular Marieke Buil, for assistance with data management.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2300 RB, Leiden, Zuid Holland, The Netherlands

    Selene S. A. A. Fagel, Hanna Swaab, Leo M. J. De Sonneville, Sophie Van Rijn & Jolijn K. Pieterse

  2. University Medical Centre Utrecht, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Floor Scheepers & Herman Van Engeland

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  1. Selene S. A. A. Fagel
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  2. Hanna Swaab
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Correspondence to Selene S. A. A. Fagel.

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Fagel, S.S.A.A., Swaab, H., De Sonneville, L.M.J. et al. Development of schizotypal symptoms following psychiatric disorders in childhood or adolescence. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 22, 683–692 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0409-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0409-7

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