Longitudinal patterns of sensory and paranoid psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Associations with distress, psychopathology, and substance use
- 1Mental Health Research and Treatment Centre, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Abstract
BackgroundPsychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been shown to increase the risk for mental health problems in later life, especially psychosis. Following previously raised methodological concerns about the assessment of PLEs in adolescents, this study sought to differentiate subtypes of PLEs and to explore their trajectories.
MethodsLongitudinally matched data of 671 German adolescents from three surveys over the time span of one year were analysed. Four trajectories were identified, including persisting, subsiding, and emerging highly indicative PLEs (HIPs), and non-highly indicative PLEs (non-HIPs), and longitudinally compared in terms of associated distress, psychopathology, and substance use. A differentiated never PLEs group was considered as a control.
ResultsThe persisting HIPs group reported greater distress than the non-HIP group over time and was consistently associated with higher rates of internalising symptoms. The subsiding HIP group showed significant reductions in distress and internalising symptoms over time, but no significant changes regarding externalising symptoms and substance use. There was no difference in the extent of substance use between the groups.
ConclusionsScreenings of PLEs should be mindful of different subtypes of PLEs that indicate a greater associated risk of poor mental health. PLE screening should not stop at whether PLEs are present but ask which ones.
Related
- A twin study of genetic and environmental aetiologies of associations between sensory processing sensitivity and psychotic-like experiences
- 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
- Adverse childhood experiences and functional stability in the affective-to-psychotic spectrum: a longitudinal multistate analysis of employment and relationship outcomes.
- Psychotic-like experiences and neurobehavioral reward processing in adolescents who use cannabis
- Prospective associations between perceived school climate and psychological distress among Chinese adolescents: a three-wave longitudinal study of school belonging, social avoidance, and psychological resilience
BibTeX
@misc{berg2026longitudinal,
title = {{Longitudinal patterns of sensory and paranoid psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Associations with distress, psychopathology, and substance use}},
author = {F. Berg and G. Kiernan and P. M. Nguyen and M. Niggemeier and S. Schneider and M. Rus-Calafell},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.18.26363406},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.26363406v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Longitudinal patterns of sensory and paranoid psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Associations with distress, psychopathology, and substance use
AU - F. Berg
AU - G. Kiernan
AU - P. M. Nguyen
AU - M. Niggemeier
AU - S. Schneider
AU - M. Rus-Calafell
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/18
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.18.26363406
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.26363406v1
AB - BackgroundPsychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been shown to increase the risk for mental health problems in later life, especially psychosis. Following previously raised methodological concerns about the assessment of PLEs in adolescents, this study sought to differentiate subtypes of PLEs and to explore their trajectories. MethodsLongitudinally matched data of 671 German adolescents from three surveys over the time span of one year were analysed. Four trajectories were identified, including persisting, subsiding, and emerging highly indicative PLEs (HIPs), and non-highly indicative PLEs (non-HIPs), and longitudinally compared in terms of associated distress, psychopathology, and substance use. A differentiated never PLEs group was considered as a control. ResultsThe persisting HIPs group reported greater distress than the non-HIP group over time and was consistently associated with higher rates of internalising symptoms. The subsiding HIP group showed significant reductions in distress and internalising symptoms over time, but no significant changes regarding externalising symptoms and substance use. There was no difference in the extent of substance use between the groups. ConclusionsScreenings of PLEs should be mindful of different subtypes of PLEs that indicate a greater associated risk of poor mental health. PLE screening should not stop at whether PLEs are present but ask which ones.
ER -