Not all first-episode psychosis is the same: preliminary evidence of greater basic self-disturbance in schizophrenia spectrum cases

Abstract

AIM: Disturbance in the basic sense of self has previously been found to characterize schizophrenia spectrum disorders and to predict onset of psychosis in the ultra-high-risk population. The current study examined basic self-disturbance in a first-episode psychosis (FEP) population. We hypothesized that basic self-disturbance would be more prominent in cases with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder compared to those with other psychoses. METHOD: Sixteen FEP patients from Orygen Youth Health, Melbourne, were recruited to the study. Participants were assessed using the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. RESULTS: Basic self-disturbance scor..