Early signs and symptoms of psychosis among Palauan adolescents

Abstract

Aim: This study was designed to identify early symptoms associated with the occurrence of psychosis during adolescence. Method: Participants were recruited in the Republic of Palau, an isolated island nation in Micronesia with a prevalence rate for schizophrenia of 1.99%. Diagnostic interviews were used to obtain reports of early and current symptoms from 112 genetically high-risk (GHR) and 208 genetically low-risk (GLR) adolescents (ages 16-23). Based on current psychotic symptoms, participants were sorted into three groups: non-clinical, at-risk/symptomatic risk and clinically symptomatic. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance revealed several between-group differences on rates of ear..