title: Interaction of social role functioning and coping in people with recent-onset attenuated psychotic symptoms: a case study of three Chinese women at clinical high risk for psychosis.
abstract: Clinical high risk of psychosis is defined as the period in which the first signs of psychotic symptoms begin to appear. During this period, there is an increased probability of developing frank psychosis. It is crucial to investigate the interaction between psychotic symptoms and the individual's personality and life experiences in order to effectively prevent, or delay the development of psychosis. This paper presents case reports of three Chinese female subjects with attenuated positive symptoms, attending their initial outpatient assessment in a mental health service, and their longitudinal clinical outcomes. Information regarding each subject's symptoms and life stressors was collected at 2-month intervals over a 6-month period. The assessments indicated that these women were suffering from the recent onset of symptoms in different ways. However, all three hid their symptoms from others in their school or workplace, and experienced a decline in performance related to their social roles and in their daily functioning. They were often excluded from the social groups to which they had previously belonged. A decline in social activities may be a risk factor in the development of psychosis and a mediator of functional sequelae in psychosis. Effective treatment strategies may include those that teach individuals to gain insights related to their symptoms and a service that provides a context in which individuals can discuss their psychotic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: TianHong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: HuiJun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Woodberry
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Seidman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Annabelle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: ZePing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: JiJun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: follow-up; functional sequelae; prodromal psychosis; transition; ultra high risk