North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS 3): Methods and baseline description

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• The North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) is a multi-site consortium.
• Previous phases (NAPLS-1, NAPLS-2) have laid groundwork for understanding psychosis.
• Youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis represent a critical window for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the methodology for the third phase (NAPLS-3) of this longitudinal study.
• To investigate the mechanisms underlying the development of psychosis.
• To report on the initial participant ascertainment and demographic characteristics within NAPLS-3.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, longitudinal cohort design.
• Multi-site data collection across nine programs.
• Focus on youth identified as clinically high risk (CHR) for psychosis.

Main Results:

• Overview of the NAPLS-3 methodology is presented.
• Demographic data for 710 CHR participants are reported.
• The study is designed to identify pathways to psychosis.

Conclusions:

• NAPLS-3 establishes the framework for a comprehensive investigation into psychosis development.
• Understanding participant demographics is crucial for interpreting future findings.
• This research aims to advance early detection and intervention strategies for psychosis.