Environmental factors during adolescence associated with later development of psychotic disorders - a nested case-control study.
Etiologies of psychotic disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) are conceptualized as interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The adolescent period is characterized by changes in social roles and expectations that may interact with biological changes or psychosocial stressors. Few studies focus on the adolescents' own reports of perceived risk factors. To assess differences at age 16 between persons who later develop psychotic disorders ("Confirmed Psychosis", CP) and their class-mates ("Population Controls", PC) we collected information on: (1) Social support factors (size of social network and expectancies of social support from friends), (2) Cognitive functioning (concentrating in the classroom, actual grades and expectancies of own academic achievements) and (3) Problems and stressors in families (illness or loss of work for parents), and in relationship with others (exposure to bullying, violence or sexual violation). Self-reported data from students at 15-16 years of age were linked to the case-registers from the "Thematically Organized Psychosis (TOP) Study". The CP group reported more economic problems in their families, smaller social network and lower academic expectation than the PC group. The results support the notion that long-term socioeconomic stressors in adolescence may serve as risk factors for the development of psychotic disorders.
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health, Norway. Electronic address: unni.bratlien@sykehuset-innlandet.no.
Unni
U
Bratlien
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
Merete
M
Øie
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health, Norway.
Elisabeth
E
Haug
Department of Mental Health Research and Development, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Norway.
Paul
P
Møller
KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo, and Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
Ole A
OA
Andreassen
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health, Norway; Faculty of Public Health, Hedmark University College, Norway.
Lars
L
Lien
KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo, and Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
Ingrid
I
Melle
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012931:Social Environment; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Prediction; Premorbid; Psychosis; Risk factors; Self-rated