title: Self-reported attenuated psychotic-like experiences in help-seeking adolescents and their association with age, functioning and psychopathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-rated attenuated psychotic-like experiences (APLEs) are increasingly used to screen for ultra-high-risk (UHR) across all ages. However, self-rated psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), in particular perception-related ones, were more frequent in children and adolescents, in which they possessed less clinical significance. We therefore explored the prevalence of different factors of APLEs in help-seeking adolescents, and their relationship with age, functioning and psychopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a part of the "Liberiamo il Futuro" project, help-seeking adolescents (N=171; 11-18 years, 53% male) were screened with the 92-item Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-92). A factor analysis was performed on the PQ-92 positive items (i.e., APLEs) to identify different APLE-factors. These were assessed for their association with age, functioning and psychopathology using regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  APLEs were very common in help-seeking adolescents, and formed four factors: "Conceptual Disorganization and Suspiciousness", "Perceptual Abnormalities", "Bizarre Experiences", and "Magical Ideation". Associations with age and functioning but not psychopathology were found for "Perceptual Abnormalities" that was significantly more severe in 11-12-year-olds, while "Conceptual Disorganization and Suspiciousness" was significantly related to psychopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In line with findings on PLEs, prevalence and clinical significance of APLEs, especially perception-related ones, might depend on age and thus neurodevelopmental stage, and may fall within the normal spectrum of experience during childhood. This should be considered when screening for UHR status in younger age groups.
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Rome 00156, Italy. Electronic address: martina.brandizzi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandizzi
authors.affiliation: University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bolligenstr. 111, Haus A 3000 Bern 60, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schultze-Lutter
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Rome 00156, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering "A. Ruberti", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanna
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Curto
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Juliana Fortes
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lindau
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solfanelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Rome 00156, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Listanti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Rome 00156, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patanè
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kotzalidis
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, 16 De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Community Mental Health Service, ASL Rome H, 00041 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Pietro
authors.affiliation: Community Mental Health Service, ASL Rome H, 00041 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leccisi
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions (NESMOS) Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Rome 00156, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiori Nastro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attenuated psychotic-like experiences; Children and adolescents; Perceptual abnormalities; Screening; Ultra-high risk