Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Psychopathological Characteristics and Subjective Dimensions of Suicidality in Adolescents at Ultra High Risk (UHR)
Elena Monducci1, Valeria Mammarella1, Alessia Maffucci1
1Department of Human Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Background And Hypothesis:
Suicide and suicidal behaviour are among the most frequent and serious complications in severe mental disorders, especially in the developmental years. From the early stages of psychosis, i.e., in ultra high risk (UHR) and first psychotic episode (FEP) subjects, the suicide risk (SR) is higher than in the general population. Therefore, assessing suicidal thoughts during the high psychotic risk period is extremely important. This study aims to assess SR in a group of UHR adolescents compared to FEP and clinical help-seeking controls (CHSC) peers.
Study Design:
95 adolescents (13-18 years) were evaluated through psychopathological interviews and self-report questionnaires to assess UHR, FEP or CHSC condition, clinical suicidal behaviour and suicide thoughts, global functioning, self-disorders, and other psychiatric comorbidities.
Study Results:
We identified 17 FEP, 33 UHR, and 45 CHSC. 54.7% of the total sample is at SR, identified in 70.6% of FEP subjects, 81.8% of UHR subjects and 28.9% of CHSC patients. Furthermore, SR correlated with positive symptoms (p = 0.013), negative symptoms (p = 0.032), general symptoms (p = 0.009), and global functioning (p < 0.001) as well as with the total EASE score (p < 0.001). An increasing rate of self-disorders was associated with an increased likelihood of SR.
Conclusions:
Monitoring UHR adolescents not only for psychotic onset but also for SR is crucial due to their higher suicidality and worse prognosis. Rigorous management and monitoring can enable more targeted interventions and suicide prevention strategies.
More Related Videos
07:31Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
Published on: May 15, 2020
13:08Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Borderline Personality Disorder
Genetic and Environmental Contributions
Borderline Personality...
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Behavioral Characteristics and...
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Schizophrenia