Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years

G L Barnes; C Stewart; S Browning; K Bracegirdle; K R Laurens; K Gin; C Hirsch; C Abbott; J Onwumere; P Banerjea; E Kuipers; S Jolley

doi:10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9

Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years

G L Barnes, C Stewart, S Browning, K Bracegirdle, K R Laurens, K Gin, C Hirsch, C Abbott, J Onwumere, P Banerjea, E Kuipers, S Jolley

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: Neurocognitive difficulties and early childhood speech/motor delays are well documented amongst older adolescents and young adults considered at risk for psychosis-spectrum diagnoses. We aimed to test associations between unusual or psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), co-occurring distress/emotional symptoms, current cognitive functioning and developmental delays/difficulties in young people (aged 8–18 years) referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London, UK. Methods: Study 1 examined receptive language, verbal learning and caregiver-reported speech and motor delays/difficulties in a sample of 101 clinically-referred children aged 8–14 years, comparing those reporting no PLEs (n = 19), PLEs without distress (n = 16), and PLEs with distress (n = 66). Study 2 tested associations of severity of distressing PLEs with vocabulary, perceptual reasoning, word reading and developmental delays/difficulties in a second sample of 122 adolescents aged 12–18 years with distressing PLEs. Results: In Study 1, children with distressing PLEs had lower receptive language and delayed recall and higher rates of developmental delays/difficulties than the no-PLE and non-distressing PLE groups (F values: 2.3–2.8; p values: < 0.005). Receptive language (β = 0.24, p = 0.03) and delayed recall (β = − 0.17, p = 0.02) predicted PLE distress severity. In Study 2, the cognitive-developmental variables did not significantly predict PLE distress severity (β values = 0.01–0.22, p values: > 0.05). Conclusion: Findings may be consistent with a cognitive-developmental model relating distressing PLEs in youth with difficulties in cognitive functioning. This highlights the potential utility of adjunctive cognitive strategies which target mechanisms associated with PLE distress. These could be included in cognitive-behavioural interventions offered prior to the development of an at-risk mental state in mental health, educational or public health settings.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	461-472
Number of pages	12
Journal	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume	57
Issue number	3
Early online date	3 Sept 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Keywords

Adolescent
Adolescent Health Services
Child
Child, Preschool
Cognition
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Humans
Mental Health Services
Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis
Young Adult

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9

Cite this

Barnes, G. L., Stewart, C., Browning, S., Bracegirdle, K., Laurens, K. R., Gin, K., Hirsch, C., Abbott, C., Onwumere, J., Banerjea, P., Kuipers, E., & Jolley, S. (2022). Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 57(3), 461-472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9

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title = "Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years",

abstract = "Purpose: Neurocognitive difficulties and early childhood speech/motor delays are well documented amongst older adolescents and young adults considered at risk for psychosis-spectrum diagnoses. We aimed to test associations between unusual or psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), co-occurring distress/emotional symptoms, current cognitive functioning and developmental delays/difficulties in young people (aged 8–18 years) referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London, UK. Methods: Study 1 examined receptive language, verbal learning and caregiver-reported speech and motor delays/difficulties in a sample of 101 clinically-referred children aged 8–14 years, comparing those reporting no PLEs (n = 19), PLEs without distress (n = 16), and PLEs with distress (n = 66). Study 2 tested associations of severity of distressing PLEs with vocabulary, perceptual reasoning, word reading and developmental delays/difficulties in a second sample of 122 adolescents aged 12–18 years with distressing PLEs. Results: In Study 1, children with distressing PLEs had lower receptive language and delayed recall and higher rates of developmental delays/difficulties than the no-PLE and non-distressing PLE groups (F values: 2.3–2.8; p values: < 0.005). Receptive language (β = 0.24, p = 0.03) and delayed recall (β = − 0.17, p = 0.02) predicted PLE distress severity. In Study 2, the cognitive-developmental variables did not significantly predict PLE distress severity (β values = 0.01–0.22, p values: > 0.05). Conclusion: Findings may be consistent with a cognitive-developmental model relating distressing PLEs in youth with difficulties in cognitive functioning. This highlights the potential utility of adjunctive cognitive strategies which target mechanisms associated with PLE distress. These could be included in cognitive-behavioural interventions offered prior to the development of an at-risk mental state in mental health, educational or public health settings.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adolescent Health Services, Child, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Humans, Mental Health Services, Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis, Young Adult",

author = "Barnes, {G L} and C Stewart and S Browning and K Bracegirdle and Laurens, {K R} and K Gin and C Hirsch and C Abbott and J Onwumere and P Banerjea and E Kuipers and S Jolley",

note = "Funding Information: EK, CH and JO are partly supported by and/or affiliated with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health and Social Care. Funding Information: This publication presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR; ref: PB-PG-0613-31113). The Studies were supported by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration King's Clinical Trials Unit which is part funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre and by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and King's College London (NIHR Maudsley BRC). CUES (Study 1) data collection was supported by a grant from Guy's & St Thomas' Charity (ref. R100417). KRL was supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT170100294). The funder was not involved in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; nor in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9",

language = "English",

volume = "57",

pages = "461--472",

journal = "Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology",

issn = "0933-7954",

publisher = "Science House",

number = "3",

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Barnes, GL, Stewart, C, Browning, S, Bracegirdle, K, Laurens, KR , Gin, K , Hirsch, C, Abbott, C, Onwumere, J, Banerjea, P, Kuipers, E & Jolley, S 2022, 'Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years', Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 461-472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9

TY - JOUR

T1 - Distressing psychotic-like experiences, cognitive functioning and early developmental markers in clinically referred young people aged 8–18 years

AU - Barnes, G L

AU - Stewart, C

AU - Browning, S

AU - Bracegirdle, K

AU - Laurens, K R

AU - Gin, K

AU - Hirsch, C

AU - Abbott, C

AU - Onwumere, J

AU - Banerjea, P

AU - Kuipers, E

AU - Jolley, S

N1 - Funding Information: EK, CH and JO are partly supported by and/or affiliated with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health and Social Care. Funding Information: This publication presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR; ref: PB-PG-0613-31113). The Studies were supported by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration King's Clinical Trials Unit which is part funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre and by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and King's College London (NIHR Maudsley BRC). CUES (Study 1) data collection was supported by a grant from Guy's & St Thomas' Charity (ref. R100417). KRL was supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT170100294). The funder was not involved in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; nor in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - Purpose: Neurocognitive difficulties and early childhood speech/motor delays are well documented amongst older adolescents and young adults considered at risk for psychosis-spectrum diagnoses. We aimed to test associations between unusual or psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), co-occurring distress/emotional symptoms, current cognitive functioning and developmental delays/difficulties in young people (aged 8–18 years) referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London, UK. Methods: Study 1 examined receptive language, verbal learning and caregiver-reported speech and motor delays/difficulties in a sample of 101 clinically-referred children aged 8–14 years, comparing those reporting no PLEs (n = 19), PLEs without distress (n = 16), and PLEs with distress (n = 66). Study 2 tested associations of severity of distressing PLEs with vocabulary, perceptual reasoning, word reading and developmental delays/difficulties in a second sample of 122 adolescents aged 12–18 years with distressing PLEs. Results: In Study 1, children with distressing PLEs had lower receptive language and delayed recall and higher rates of developmental delays/difficulties than the no-PLE and non-distressing PLE groups (F values: 2.3–2.8; p values: < 0.005). Receptive language (β = 0.24, p = 0.03) and delayed recall (β = − 0.17, p = 0.02) predicted PLE distress severity. In Study 2, the cognitive-developmental variables did not significantly predict PLE distress severity (β values = 0.01–0.22, p values: > 0.05). Conclusion: Findings may be consistent with a cognitive-developmental model relating distressing PLEs in youth with difficulties in cognitive functioning. This highlights the potential utility of adjunctive cognitive strategies which target mechanisms associated with PLE distress. These could be included in cognitive-behavioural interventions offered prior to the development of an at-risk mental state in mental health, educational or public health settings.

AB - Purpose: Neurocognitive difficulties and early childhood speech/motor delays are well documented amongst older adolescents and young adults considered at risk for psychosis-spectrum diagnoses. We aimed to test associations between unusual or psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), co-occurring distress/emotional symptoms, current cognitive functioning and developmental delays/difficulties in young people (aged 8–18 years) referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in South London, UK. Methods: Study 1 examined receptive language, verbal learning and caregiver-reported speech and motor delays/difficulties in a sample of 101 clinically-referred children aged 8–14 years, comparing those reporting no PLEs (n = 19), PLEs without distress (n = 16), and PLEs with distress (n = 66). Study 2 tested associations of severity of distressing PLEs with vocabulary, perceptual reasoning, word reading and developmental delays/difficulties in a second sample of 122 adolescents aged 12–18 years with distressing PLEs. Results: In Study 1, children with distressing PLEs had lower receptive language and delayed recall and higher rates of developmental delays/difficulties than the no-PLE and non-distressing PLE groups (F values: 2.3–2.8; p values: < 0.005). Receptive language (β = 0.24, p = 0.03) and delayed recall (β = − 0.17, p = 0.02) predicted PLE distress severity. In Study 2, the cognitive-developmental variables did not significantly predict PLE distress severity (β values = 0.01–0.22, p values: > 0.05). Conclusion: Findings may be consistent with a cognitive-developmental model relating distressing PLEs in youth with difficulties in cognitive functioning. This highlights the potential utility of adjunctive cognitive strategies which target mechanisms associated with PLE distress. These could be included in cognitive-behavioural interventions offered prior to the development of an at-risk mental state in mental health, educational or public health settings.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adolescent Health Services

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Cognition

KW - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

KW - Humans

KW - Mental Health Services

KW - Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis

KW - Young Adult

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DO - 10.1007/s00127-021-02168-9

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