Persistence of psychotic experiences and clinical outcomes in adolescents at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study
- 1Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health
Abstract
ObjectiveThis study examined the prevalence of psychotic experiences (PE) and how early onset and persistence of PE contribute to risk and severity of mental disorders in adolescents at familial high-risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) and adolescents from a population-based control group (PBC).
MethodsThis is the second follow-up of a nationwide cohort study including 522 children at FHR-SZ (N=202), FHR-BP (N=120), and PBC (N=200). Participants were assessed at ages 7, 11, and 15 using a semi-structured interview to evaluate PE and mental disorders.
ResultsAt age 15, adolescents at FHR-SZ reported more PE than PBC over the past six months (current) and the past four years, while adolescents at FHR-BP only reported more current PE. PE reported at two or three timepoints (persistent PE) predicted any Axis I disorder in mid-adolescence, corresponding to three- (OR 2.9, 95% CI [1.5-5.7]) and 21-fold (OR 21.4, 95% CI [2.8-162.3]) increased risks, respectively. Persistent PE also predicted multimorbidity, with three- (OR 2.8, 95% CI [1.0-7.6]) and four-fold (OR 4.1, 95% CI [1.2-14.1]) increased risks, respectively. This was after adjustment for sex, early mental disorders, and familial risk.
ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a strong link between persistent PE and mid-adolescence mental disorders. Our findings emphasize PE as important risk markers for mental disorders during mid-adolescence and highlight the importance of monitoring children with PE before age 7 who develop persistent symptoms.
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BibTeX
@misc{rohd2026persistence,
title = {{Persistence of psychotic experiences and clinical outcomes in adolescents at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study}},
author = {S. B. Rohd and A. A. Thorup and M. Wilms and M. Schiavon and D. H. B. Streyma and A. F. Laursen and A. F. Bundgaard and A. Sondergaard and M. F. Krantz and L. Veddum and C. Hjorthoj and A. Greve and O. Mors and M. Nordentoft and N. Hemager and M. Gregersen},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.27.26361507},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.27.26361507v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Persistence of psychotic experiences and clinical outcomes in adolescents at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study
AU - S. B. Rohd
AU - A. A. Thorup
AU - M. Wilms
AU - M. Schiavon
AU - D. H. B. Streyma
AU - A. F. Laursen
AU - A. F. Bundgaard
AU - A. Sondergaard
AU - M. F. Krantz
AU - L. Veddum
AU - C. Hjorthoj
AU - A. Greve
AU - O. Mors
AU - M. Nordentoft
AU - N. Hemager
AU - M. Gregersen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/27
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.27.26361507
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.27.26361507v1
AB - ObjectiveThis study examined the prevalence of psychotic experiences (PE) and how early onset and persistence of PE contribute to risk and severity of mental disorders in adolescents at familial high-risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) and adolescents from a population-based control group (PBC). MethodsThis is the second follow-up of a nationwide cohort study including 522 children at FHR-SZ (N=202), FHR-BP (N=120), and PBC (N=200). Participants were assessed at ages 7, 11, and 15 using a semi-structured interview to evaluate PE and mental disorders. ResultsAt age 15, adolescents at FHR-SZ reported more PE than PBC over the past six months (current) and the past four years, while adolescents at FHR-BP only reported more current PE. PE reported at two or three timepoints (persistent PE) predicted any Axis I disorder in mid-adolescence, corresponding to three- (OR 2.9, 95% CI [1.5-5.7]) and 21-fold (OR 21.4, 95% CI [2.8-162.3]) increased risks, respectively. Persistent PE also predicted multimorbidity, with three- (OR 2.8, 95% CI [1.0-7.6]) and four-fold (OR 4.1, 95% CI [1.2-14.1]) increased risks, respectively. This was after adjustment for sex, early mental disorders, and familial risk. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a strong link between persistent PE and mid-adolescence mental disorders. Our findings emphasize PE as important risk markers for mental disorders during mid-adolescence and highlight the importance of monitoring children with PE before age 7 who develop persistent symptoms.
ER -