The Latent Structure of Negative Symptoms in the General Population in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Negative symptoms predict adverse outcomes within psychotic disorders, in individuals at high-risk for psychosis, and in young people in the community. There is considerable interest in the dimensional structure of negative symptoms in clinical samples, and accumulating evidence suggests a 5-factor structure. Little is known about the underlying structure of negative symptoms in young people despite the importance of this developmental stage for mental health. We used confirmatory factor analysis to test the structure of parent-reported negative symptoms at mean ages 16.32 (SD 0.68, N = 4974), 17.06 (SD 0.88, N = 1469) and 22.30 (SD 0.93, N = 5179) in a community sample. Given previously reported associations between total negative symptoms and genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) for major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia in adolescence, we assessed associations between individual subdomains and these GPSs. A 5-factor model of flat affect, alogia, avolition, anhedonia and asociality provided the best fit at each age and was invariant over time. The results of our linear regression analyses showed associations between MDD GPS with avolition, flat affect, anhedonia and asociality, and between schizophrenia GPS with avolition and flat affect. We showed that a 5-factor structure of negative symptoms is present from ages 16 to 22 in the community. Avolition was most consistently associated with polygenic liability to MDD and schizophrenia, and alogia was least associated. These findings highlight the value of dissecting negative symptoms into psychometrically derived subdomains and may offer insights into early manifestation of genetic risk for MDD and schizophrenia.

Psychotic experiences and negative symptoms from adolescence to emerging adulthood: developmental trajectories and associations with polygenic scores and childhood characteristics

“…A study that investigated the effect of polygenic liability to schizophrenia GPS on the developmental course of separate dimensions within the negative symptoms construct in schizophrenia found that schizophrenia GPS predicted a more severe course specifically of avolition (Jonas et al, 2019 ). This aligns broadly with suggestive cross-sectional GPS findings in the community (Havers, Cardno, Freeman, & Ronald, 2022 ), and with clinical findings and theory suggesting that avolition may be a central feature of the negative symptoms construct (Foussias & Remington, 2010 ; Strauss et al, 2020 , 2021 ).…”

Gut microbial signatures and differences in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia of emerging adulthood

“…Although emerging adults have reached physical and sexual maturity, they are still learning and maturing and require protection 14 . It is noteworthy that emerging adults are particularly at‐risk for psychiatric disorders, including bipolar spectrum disorders and schizophrenia 15,16 . In a given year, over 40% of emerging adults meet the criteria for a psychiatric disorder, a higher rate than for any other adult age group in the U.S 17 .…”

“… 14 It is noteworthy that emerging adults are particularly at‐risk for psychiatric disorders, including bipolar spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. 15 , 16 In a given year, over 40% of emerging adults meet the criteria for a psychiatric disorder, a higher rate than for any other adult age group in the U.S. 17 Moreover, physical and mental comorbidity is prevalent among emerging adults and psychopathology in emerging adulthood undermines adaptation and reduces the likelihood of successful transitions to adulthood. 18 Furthermore, there is a gap between the need for and the use of mental health services in emerging adults.…”

“…Considering the above, the present study performed a casecontrol study using 16 S1. Each subject's complete medical history, physical examination, and laboratory test results were recorded.…”