The antecedents of non-affective psychosis in a birth-cohort, with a focus on measures related to cognitive ability, attentional dysfunction and speech problems.
OBJECTIVE
Adults with non-affective psychosis show subtle deviations in a range of developmental trajectories as children and adolescents.


METHODS
Based on a birth-cohort (n = 3801), we examined the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPTV) at age 5, and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) and Wide Range Achievement Test reading scale (WRAT-R) at age 14. Items related to speech problems and attentional dysfunction were available from maternal- or self-report. At age 21, we identified 60 cohort members who were screen-positive for non-affective psychosis (SP-NAP).


RESULTS
Impaired performance on the PPVT and RSPM (but not WRAT-R) predicted SP-NAP for males only. Male cohort members in the highest quartile for attentional dysfunction at ages 5 and 14 were about 5-8 times more likely to develop SP-NAP. SP-NAP in males was significantly associated with speech problems at age 14.


CONCLUSIONS
Males who develop non-affective psychoses have subtle impairments in cognitive capacity prior to the development of their psychotic disorder.
Welham
J
J
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Australia.
Scott
J
J
Williams
G M
GM
Najman
J M
JM
Bor
W
W
O'Callaghan
M
M
McGrath
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult