EXPERIENTIAL NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN YOUNG ADULTS ENDORSING PSYCHOTIC-LIKE EXPERIENCES

Abstract

While many studies of risk factors for psychosis focus on positive symptoms, such as subthreshold levels of hallucinations and delusions, fewer studies have examined negative symptoms in the early course of the schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. This relative lack of focus on the role of negative symptoms is problematic, given findings that negative symptoms, such as a loss of motivation and pleasure (MAP), are associated with a more persistent and impairing course of psychosis, and tend to appear earlier in the development of psychotic symptoms. Psychotic disorders, which afflict approximately 3-5% of the population, tend to emerge in late adolescence/early adulthood and are among the most debilitating and costly of mental disorders. The current project explored three areas of negative symptoms in young adults who demonstrated a range of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). First, a review of the literature pertaining to negative symptoms across the span of psychosis was conducted. Second, we tested whether experiential negative symptoms – specifically MAP deficits – were associated with increases in PLEs, including those that are experienced as distressing (PLEDs). Third, we examined the potential influence of episodic memory performance factors on the relationship between MAP symptoms and PLEs/PLEDs. Collectively, this project highlights the importance of including negative symptoms (i.e., MAP deficits) and/or cognitive performance (i.e., associative/relational learning/memory) outcomes when evaluating people with PLEs/PLEDs to identify those who may be at greater risk for developing a psychotic disorder.