Over-representation of Maori New Zealanders among adolescents in a schizotypy taxon.
BACKGROUND
Minority ethnic and migrant groups are often over-represented among those with schizophrenia.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether Maori, the aboriginal minority of New Zealand, are over-represented in a schizotypy taxon derived from a general population sample of adolescents.


METHODS
Secondary school students (n = 387) aged 13 to 17 years completed self-report measures of four schizotypy attributes, magical thinking, hallucinatory tendency, self-referential ideation, and perceptual aberration, and indicated ethnic descent and self-identified ethnic belonging.


RESULTS
Taxometric analyses (maximum covariance, maximum eigenvalue, latent modes) yielded consistent evidence of taxonicity of schizotypy. Participants who were of Maori descent were over-represented in the schizotypy group.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnicity, or the stress and resilience factors for which ethnicity is a proxy measure, has a measurable impact on psychometric risk for schizophrenia.
Linscott
Richard J
RJ
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P. O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. linscott@psy.otago.ac.nz
Marie
Dannette
D
Arnott
Kelly L
KL
Clarke
Bronwyn L
BL
D000293:Adolescent; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires