Prevalence, incidence, and persistence of psychotic experiences in the general population: results of a 9-year follow-up study

Abstract

Background Psychotic experiences (PEs) frequently occur and are associated with a range of negative health outcomes. Prospective studies on PEs are scarce, and to date no study investigated PE prevalence, incidence, persistence, their risk indicators, and psychiatric comorbidity, in one dataset. Furthermore, most studies are based on self-report, and it is unclear how this compares to clinical interviews. Methods Data are used from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2), a psychiatric cohort study among a representative sample of adults (baseline characteristics: N = 6646; 49.6% female; 18–64 years). Results are presented for self-reported and clinically validated PEs. Associations are assessed for mental disorders, socio-demographic, vulnerability, physical health, and substance use factors. Results Based on self-report, at baseline 16.5% of respondents had at least one PE in their lifetime, of those, 30.1% also reported a PE at 3-year follow-up. 4.8% had a first PE at 3-year follow up. The 3-year prevalence of PE was associated with almost all studied risk indicators. Generally, the strongest associations were found for mental health disorders. Prevalence and incidence rates were two to three times higher in self-report than in clinical interview but results on associated factors were similar. Conclusions Validated prevalence and incidence estimates of PE are substantially lower than self-reported figures but results on associated factors were similar. Therefore, future studies on associations of PEs can rely on relatively inexpensive self-reports of PEs. The associations between PE and mental disorders underline the importance of assessment of PE in general practice.

Psychometric Properties and Diagnostic Associations of the Short-Form Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences in a Population-Based Sample of 29 021 Adult Men

“…Moreover, our results support lifetime PEs as relatively common in general populations. Twenty-six percent reported at least one lifetime PE—a higher prevalence than reported by previous meta-analyses based on CAPE and the CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview) psychosis module 50 (5.8% 2 ; 7.2% 1 ) – although within the range of reported cross-national prevalence (0.8% to 31.4% 15 , 17 , 51 , 52 ). Although the sample is relatively healthy and well-educated, there may be several reasons why a high percentage still reports lifetime PEs.…”

“… 1 However, associations between PEs and variables of interest are usually comparable. 51 In large cohort studies, cost-effective data collection is necessary, and despite being a short self-report instrument, our psychometric investigations support CAPE-9 as valid and useful.…”

Psychosocial factors associated with the risk of developing psychosis in a Mexican general population sample

“…However, it would have been preferable to use widely-validated semi-structured interviews, such as the SIPS ( 16 ) or the CAARMS ( 13 ). In this regard, it is relevant to note that a recent large-scale study found that both self-report and interview measures of psychotic experiences were associated with similar risk indicators ( 142 ). Finally, our use of a non-random sampling technique (participants were individuals with Internet access who were interested in responding to the survey) and the fact that the sample was predominantly female with a relatively high educational level limit the generalizability of the results.…”

Are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms associated with negative health outcomes in individuals with psychotic experiences? Findings from a cross-sectional study in Japan

“…Psychotic experiences (PE) consist of subclinical hallucinations and delusions that occur among individuals in the general population ( 1 ). An earlier review study that used data from 61 cohorts found that the median estimated prevalence of PE was 7.2% in the general population ( 2 ), while more recent research has indicated that the self-reported lifetime prevalence of at least one PE may be substantially higher (16.5%) in some instances ( 3 ). PE have been linked to a variety of detrimental outcomes in adults including worse physical ( 4 ) and mental health ( 5 ).…”