Poor functioning ability is associated with high risk of developing psychosis in adolescents.
BACKGROUND
While functioning ability, quality of life (QoL) and depression are widely studied phenomena in schizophrenia, little is known about functioning ability, QoL and depression, especially among adolescents at high risk of developing first-episode psychosis.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate associations between high risk of developing psychosis and functioning ability, depression and QoL among adolescents.


METHODS
The data was collected by an early intervention team in Espoo, Finland, between 1 January 2007 and 31 May 2008. Subjects at high risk of developing psychosis were compared with subjects not at high risk in terms of functioning ability (GAF), QoL (16D) and depressive symptoms (RBDI) in a cross-sectional setting. The study was conducted with 80 adolescents (mean age 14.7, range 12-18 years).


RESULTS
Those at high risk of developing psychosis had significantly lower and poorer scores in functioning ability (53.4 vs. 58.4, P=0.006), had higher and poorer scores in QoL (10.81 vs. 7.05, P=0.002) and higher and poorer scores in depression (8.95 vs. 4.76, P=0.001) than those who did not meet the criteria of being at high risk of developing psychosis. Poorer functioning ability independently explained being at high risk of developing psychosis at a statistically significant level (P=0.021) in a logistic regression analysis after age, gender, depression and QoL were adjusted for.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor functioning ability seems to be associated with high risk of developing psychosis among adolescents.
Granö
Niklas
N
Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Jorvi Hospital, Turuntie 150, 02740 Espoo, Finland. niklas.grano@hus.fi
Karjalainen
Marjaana
M
Suominen
Kirsi
K
Roine
Mikko
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D056344:Executive Function; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment