Is adolescent-onset first-episode psychosis different from adult onset?
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether first-episode psychosis patients with onset during adolescence (ages 15-18) differ significantly from those with young-adult onset (ages 19-30).


METHODS
Consecutive patients presenting with first-episode psychosis (N = 242) were assessed for demographic and illness characteristics such as duration of untreated psychosis, diagnosis, length of prodromal period, premorbid adjustment, level of psychotic, negative, depressive, anxiety, and extrapyramidal symptoms, and alcohol and drug use.


RESULTS
Eighty-two patients (40.8%) had an onset of psychosis during adolescence (ages 15-18) and 119 (59.2%) during young adulthood (ages 19-30). The adolescent-onset group experienced longer delays in treatment of psychosis (duration of untreated psychosis) (p < .02), showed modestly worse premorbid functioning during late adolescence (p < .05), and were more likely to present with bizarre behavior (p < .01) and primary negative symptoms (p < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with adolescent onset of psychosis are more likely to present with clinical characteristics that portend a poorer outcome and may require a different approach to early identification and treatment.
Ballageer
Trevor
T
University of Manitoba, Mental Health Program, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.
Malla
Ashok
A
Manchanda
Rahul
R
Takhar
Jatinder
J
Haricharan
Raj
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002170:Canada; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*