title: Psychotic experiences and social functioning: a longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both adolescent psychotic experiences and poor social functioning precede psychotic disorder; however, whether poor social functioning is also a risk factor for rather than a consequence of adolescent psychotic experiences is not clear. We investigate this question as well as whether deterioration in social functioning confers the strongest risk of psychotic experiences and whether theory of mind ability mediates any association, in a large community sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of social functioning (peer problems and prosocial behaviour) at ages 7 and 11 and theory of mind ability and psychotic experiences at age 12 were collected in a large community sample (n = 3,592). The association between social functioning and psychotic experiences was examined using logistic regression models at each age and any additional impact of deterioration in social functioning between ages 7 and 11. The potential role of theory of mind as a mediator was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peer problems at both ages were independently associated with psychotic experiences at age 12 (7 years OR 1.11 95 % CI 1.03, 1.20), (11 years OR 1.13 95 % CI 1.05, 1.22). Theory of mind ability did not mediate this association. The association was not restricted to those with deteriorating social functioning (interaction term; p = 0.49).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor childhood social functioning precedes adolescent psychotic experiences. There was no evidence that those with deteriorating social functioning were at greatest risk.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Research, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. sarah.sullivan@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wiles
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D056345:Theory of Mind